Black neighborhood ready for invite to South Florida’s tourism social gathering

Dexter A. Bridgeman
| Guest columnist

South Florida is home to some of America’s most popular tourist destinations. The COVID pandemic hit us, but now the party is picking up speed again. Over the years Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties have been rewarded with worldwide recognition and a steady stream of tourism dollars.

Despite its wonderful success, the South Florida Black Property Alliance remains puzzled by one question: Where is the black community in our tourism image? The market for black cultural travel is big. New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta, and others use their black culture to attract millions of visitors and generate significant tourism revenues. These communities benefit from the support, promotion and expansion of their black culture tourism product. Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach can do the same thing.

South Florida has one of the largest black populations in America and is culturally the most diverse. Nevertheless, the black culture is barely visible in the image that we market to the world through our tourism product. The effects are devastating for the black community. Relatively few tourists venture into or around black communities to spend money on our historic venues, juicy cuisine, or lively events. There is little reason for local business owners and investors to invest in black communities to create commercial places that create jobs. The commercial engine that created our world-class beachfront areas is not being used to revitalize the black community in South Florida. The South Florida Black Property Alliance asks why not.

As with tourists, black-owned businesses are invisible to local tourism actors. Our companies have a shockingly small stake in the business providing services and products for local hotels, restaurants, etc. We have hundreds of companies waiting to enter the room to compete on price and quality like everyone else.

In terms of tourism, Black South Florida feels like we’re standing alone in the playground while others let off steam in the sandpit. We feel even worse knowing that the sandbox is being maintained by millions of taxpayers’ money and local government initiatives.

Dealing with the problem begins with an honest recognition that things need to change and a conscious effort to do better. The alliance and the larger black community are eager to get into the tourism game. Black culture is a capital with which one can make money here like in New Orleans, Memphis and Atlanta. Black-owned companies can provide many of the services and products industry needs. Let’s get in the game and we’ll help expand the cake for everyone.

The Miami-Dade Tourism Promotion Agency is about to elect a new leader. This is an opportunity to develop a new approach that brings black culture to the table like any other tourism product for commerce. The alliance hopes the new leader will deliberately develop an agenda that includes promoting black culture tourism, providing technical assistance to improve the product, and lowering barriers to entry for black-owned providers. The Alliance is ready, willing and hungry to work together based on trade that creates wealth. In the 1990s, Miami-Dade faced a black community tourism boycott for many of the same reasons that exist today. The Alliance tries to be part of the solution before the problem becomes unbearable again.

Broward and Palm Beach counties have compelling reasons to do more and better. The local black culture has the potential to attract new and different travelers who need more than the beach or downtown. Local leaders and convention bureaus should involve the black community and develop a plan to promote black culture tourism with marketing spending and technical assistance.

The South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance is pleased that the tourism party is picking up again. We want an expansion of the tourism product including the black culture. This will grow the cake for everyone and allow the black community to get more involved in the trade. We are waiting for an invitation to the party.

Bridgeman is the CEO and Editor of MIA media group in Hollywood.