A half-century ago, William D. Talbert III arrived in South Florida and launched a decades-long career in tourism management and promotion. Fifty years later, the hospitality industry and its marquee properties, though now stalled by the pandemic, are still arguably tops on the planet.
Talbert says Miami now boasts a world-class performing arts center. Two new national parks were also added in that span of time, he said, as well as a slew of stadiums, top-notch music festivals and internationally renowned art exhibits.
Then there are the cruise ship terminals, Central Florida theme parks and plenty more seaside resorts from the Keys to the Panhandle for an industry that brought 130 million visitors spending close to $100 billion in pre-pandemic Florida.