Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association

What Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association does

Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA) is a membership-based nonprofit trade association representing the hotel and hospitality industry across Miami-Dade County. The organization serves 120+ hotel properties representing 64,971 rooms and supports an industry segment that powers approximately 30,100 jobs, alongside a network of 180+ allied businesses. GMBHA's core offerings center on three pillars: advocacy before local, state, and national government on hospitality-relevant policy; professional development delivered through monthly networkers, industry luncheons, educational panel series, and signature recognition programs including the Inn Key Awards and Hospitality Leadership Awards; and networking supported by a member directory, sponsorship tiers, and a Sustainability & Wellness Council focused on environmental and wellness initiatives.

GMBHA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues across three tiers — Hotel, Allied, and Allied Upgrade — with pricing not publicly disclosed and enrollment handled through dedicated online application portals on a GrowthZone-powered member platform. The association maintains strategic partnerships with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Florida Green Lodging Program), FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, and the City of Miami Beach, providing multi-tier institutional reach. It is led by President & CEO Curtis J. Crider, with Chairman Amir Blattner (General Manager at Hyatt Regency Miami), Chair Elect Mildred Riscigno, and Treasurer David Healy (VP & GM at Miami Lakes Hotel & Golf Club) overseeing governance.

The association operates a single office at 1172 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 214, Coral Gables, Florida, and serves exclusively the Miami-Dade County market. It has no technology product, no AI/ML capabilities, no disclosed revenue or headcount, and is owned and controlled by its member hotels and allied businesses rather than by external investors. Strategic priorities evidenced in recent activity include leadership renewal, programmatic expansion into sustainability and workforce development, and continued reinforcement of long-running recognition events.

Name

Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association

Legal name

Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association

Website

https://gmbha.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA) is a nonprofit trade association representing 120+ hotels (64,971 rooms) and 180+ allied businesses across Miami-Dade County, delivering advocacy, networking, recognition awards, and sustainability programming to the regional hospitality industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Large-Scale Headquarters Convention Hotels (THAGALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resort Convention Hotels (THAGALAC), Hotel & Resort Convention Venues (Convention Hotels) (THAHAAAC)

Keywords

• Hospitality trade association
• Hotel industry advocacy
• Membership association services
• Government affairs advocacy
• Hospitality networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Coral Gables

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: GMBHA generates revenue through annual membership fees from hotel properties and allied businesses operating in the Miami-Dade hospitality sector. Membership tiers include Hotel, Allied, and Allied Upgrade categories.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GMBHA is a membership-based trade association that represents the hotel and hospitality industry in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It provides unified advocacy before local, state, and national government bodies, hosts industry events and networking programs, administers the annual Inn Key Awards and Hospitality Leadership Awards, maintains a member directory, and operates a Sustainability & Wellness Council that supports the Florida Green Lodging Program.

Product overview

The Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA) operates as a membership-based organization serving Miami Dade County's hospitality sector. The organization provides a unified platform of advocacy, education, and professional development services centered around its core membership offerings, annual award programs (Inn Key Awards and Hospitality Leadership Awards), and the Sustainability & Wellness Council. GMBHA also offers member resources including crisis preparedness materials, diversity initiatives, and a searchable member directory. The organization hosts regular events including monthly networkers, industry luncheons, and educational panel series. All services are managed through a member portal platform supporting directory access, event registration, and member communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Services Annual membership program for hotel properties and allied businesses in Miami-Dade County, providing advocacy, professional development, government affairs support, and industry networking access. Available in Hotel, Allied, and Allied Upgrade tiers.
• Industry Events and Programming Calendar of recurring events including monthly networkers, industry luncheons featuring top hospitality leaders, and educational panel series on current events and trending topics in the hospitality industry.
• Government Affairs and Advocacy Active advocacy representation for member interests in local, state, and national legislative and regulatory matters affecting the hospitality sector, including Tallahassee Fly-In activities and legislative session recaps.
• Member Directory Searchable online directory of member hotel properties and allied businesses within the Greater Miami hospitality industry, accessible to members for networking and partnership opportunities.
• Inn Key Awards Annual hospitality excellence recognition program (29th annual in 2025) for top hotel professionals and properties across Miami-Dade County, honoring achievements in guest service, diversity, sustainability, employee relations, and community engagement.
• Hospitality Leadership Awards Annual recognition program (11th annual in 2023) for hospitality managers, supervisors, and hourly employees demonstrating excellence across diverse hotel departments including front office, food & beverage, bell service, housekeeping, security, spa, engineering, culinary, concierge, administration, banquets, and lodging.
• Sustainability & Wellness Council Council dedicated to promoting sustainability practices and wellness initiatives within the hospitality industry, including partnerships with the Florida Green Lodging Program, Plastic Free Miami Beach, beach re-nourishment support, and local farmer partnerships.
• Member Resources Resource library for members covering Diversity Equity and Inclusion guidance, Hurricane Preparedness materials, Human Trafficking Training, Allied Upgrade Promotions, and Allied Member Promotions.
• News and Blog Regular editorial updates on advocacy efforts, industry news, legislative session recaps, and workforce impact analyses for the Miami-Dade hospitality sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Represents 64,971 hotel rooms across Miami-Dade County
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHLA is GMBHA's national partner providing industry guidelines, advocacy support, and sustainability resources including the minimum guidelines for going green initiatives.
• Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGMCVB serves as the destination marketing organization for Greater Miami and Miami Beach. GMBHA collaborates with GMCVB on events, advocacy for tourism marketing protection, and joint industry initiatives including the State of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Breakfast.
• Florida Department of Environmental ProtectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers the Florida Green Lodging Program, a voluntary initiative that designates and recognizes lodging facilities that conserve and protect Florida's natural resources. GMBHA promotes and supports member participation in this program.
• Plastic Free Miami BeachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative to showcase businesses that have taken action to reduce plastics from their establishments and help organizations learn and implement best practices in environmental stewardship.
• Carillon Miami Wellness ResortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in GMBHA Sustainability & Wellness Council activities, hosting events and providing wellness programming examples for member properties.
• FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on student involvement in Florida Green Lodging surveys, sustainability research, scholarship programs, and professional development. Professor Nancy Scanlon chairs the GMBHA Sustainable Council.
• City of Miami BeachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on beach re-nourishment initiatives, resilience strategies (Resilient305), and environmental ordinances including fertilizer restrictions and plastic reduction programs.
• TealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGMBHA partnered with Teal to help enable fulfilling careers for hospitality industry professionals, assisting talented colleagues in career advancement and job placement.
• Wendy Kallergis (Former President & CEO)minorOthersFormer President & CEO (predecessor to Curtis J. Crider) who led GMBHA during significant periods including pandemic recovery and advocacy efforts.
• EncoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the 29th Annual Inn Key Awards supporting hospitality excellence recognition.
• Al FlexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the 29th Annual Inn Key Awards.
• Limo MiamiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the 29th Annual Inn Key Awards.
• ServProminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the 29th Annual Inn Key Awards.
• Key TransportationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of the 29th Annual Inn Key Awards.
• Fisher Island ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of the 29th Annual Inn Key Awards.
• BrightlineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiami's express inter-city passenger rail service connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Partnered with GMBHA on transportation and mobility initiatives for the tourism industry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National trade association for the U.S. lodging industry. Direct strategic partner of GMBHA (AHLA provides national guidelines and advocacy support) and the natural apex body of which GMBHA is a regional counterpart — comparable in function (advocacy, education, networking) but operating nationally across all hotel segments.

Regional players

• Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association: Statewide Florida hospitality trade association covering both restaurants and lodging. Mirrors GMBHA's advocacy, education, and networking role but at the state level and across a broader food-and-lodging scope — a direct functional peer competing for member mindshare in the same geography.
• California Hotel & Lodging Association: California's statewide lodging industry trade association. Functional peer operating at a larger state scale with comparable advocacy, education, and awards programming — competes with regional associations like GMBHA for chain-hotel engagement.

Direct peers

• Greater Houston Hotel & Lodging Association: Regional hotel association serving the Houston metro area. Closest functional analog to GMBHA — metropolitan hotel trade association focused on advocacy, member events, awards, and workforce development in a major U.S. hospitality market.
• Hotel Association of New York City: Long-standing NYC-based hotel trade association. Direct comparable in structure, scale, and value proposition (advocacy, member events, awards, labor relations) for hotels in another major U.S. destination market.
• Hotel Association of Los Angeles: Regional hotel association for the Los Angeles metro area. Comparable to GMBHA as a metropolitan hotel trade association focused on local advocacy, networking, and recognition programs in a major tourism gateway.
• Greater Boston Lodging Association: Regional hotel association serving Greater Boston. Directly comparable to GMBHA in mission, structure, and programming for a major Northeastern U.S. hospitality market.

Others

• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority: Destination marketing organization for Las Vegas. Functionally adjacent — focuses on tourism marketing rather than hotel-operator advocacy — but a relevant peer for benchmarking event and convention programming and destination partnership models.
• U.S. Travel Association: National trade association representing all components of the U.S. travel industry. Adjacent peer — broader than GMBHA in scope (covers airlines, destinations, lodging) — useful as a policy and data benchmark rather than a direct competitor for members.
• Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau: Official destination marketing organization for Greater Miami and Miami Beach. Direct strategic partner of GMBHA; comparable in mission-area (promoting Miami hospitality) but distinct in function — destination marketing vs. operator advocacy — making it an enabling peer rather than competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GMBHA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association