The Black Hospitality Initiative Greater Miami (BHI) is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization. Its mission is to advance economic participation and open doors of opportunity for African Americans and Blacks of African descent in the Greater Miami Visitor Industry.

The Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami (BHI) has proudly served the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County’s hospitality and tourism community for more than two decades. To fulfill its mission, the BHIGM has three focused areas: Advocacy, Talent Development and Career Coaching, designed to boost the percentage of Black Americans in leadership roles, on professional career tracks, and coaching business in the local visitor industry.

The history of the Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami began in 1990, when Miami faced the challenges of a black tourism boycott. Spurred by the snubbing of visitor and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela by local political leaders, the boycott would last 33-months and end with a 20-point program to boost the role of African Americans in the local visitor industry.

Although Mr. Mandela’s arrival was fueled with discontent by some, his presence created one of the longest standing organizations that remain intact today, the Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami (BHI), formally known as the Visitor Industry Human Resource Council (VIC). In 1991, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) established the organization in response to one of the boycott demands for education and scholarships in the hospitality and tourism industry dedicated to the Black community.

Today the Black Hospitality Initiative has graduated more than 200 students with degrees from institutions of higher education in hospitality and tourism, many of whom have become local and global leaders in the industry, and is spearheading the growth of tourism in Miami Dade County’s heritage and ethnic neighborhoods.

Over the past 22 years, the BHI has contributed significantly to the industry mainly due to the strong partnership and support of the GMCVB and other industry partners that continue to assist with program development, fundraising, operational support, staff and resources. The GMCVB and industry partners continue to work collaboratively to facilitate and sustain the long impressive list of accomplishments that are in place today.

The Black Hospitality Initiative collaboration with partners is extremely important because they help extend growth opportunities to youth, enhance quality of life for communities, assist small business enterprises and make sure a fresh pool of talent is being mentored to help advance the industry’s professional careers. Current programs and recent accomplishments include programs and activities aimed at increasing participation in the Visitor Industry.

Some of those activities include:

- The Miami Heritage Experience Tour Program that provide visitors and locals exciting interactive cultural tours of some of Miami’s heritage communities. More than 58 businesses and community organizations working with the heritage program have been trained in customer service, communication technology, marketing, promotion and financial planning. The Cultural Heritage communities include: Historic Overtown, Little Haiti, Little Havana, Wynwood, Liberty City, West Coconut Grove and more.

- BHI staff and partners attended Harlem, New York Heritage Tour, Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network Conference, the Heritage Tourism Summit & Conference in Trinidad & Tobago, heritage meetings and workshops to learn more about heritage tourism models.

- The Hospitality Open Golf Tournament (H.O.T Challenge) and silent auction annual scholarship fundraiser is held every year, now more than 22 years, to support scholarships, mentoring to students, and the mission of the Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami.

- The Student Leadership, Internship and Mentoring Program train students each year to become leaders and executives in hospitality and tourism.

- BHI work closely with the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism (AOHT) Annual Student Conference which hosts more than 800 students each year.

- BHI partnered with Norland Senior High, Booker T. Washington Senior High and Homestead Senior High to implement Tourism Employment Education Development that prepares students for hospitality-focused careers.

- BHI Continues to be a resource to community organizations by providing collaborative agreements, networking, and professional consultation services in hospitality and tourism sectors.

- BHI established Florida International University (FIU) Scholarship Endowment to benefit students who want to attend FIU School of Hospitality Management Program. Miami Dade College Scholarship Fund was established in 2001, to support full-time students enrolled in aviation science and travel & tourism/hospitality management programs at Miami Dade College.

- The BHI formed a partnership with Biscayne National Park to establish a Service Career Development Program for African Americans. The program has placed 2 interpreters (tour guides) in the park.

- The Black Hospitality Initiative continues to work with Big Brother Big Sisters to recruit hoteliers and other industry partners to participate in the School-to-Work Program. Employees from the hospitality industry mentor students four hours each month to support job skills development.

The Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami is a….

- Catalyst

- Convener

- Educator

- Identifier and leverage of resources

- Expert on community based and heritage tourism

- The Black Hospitality Initiative is a catalyst to provide career counseling and job placement assistance to students in our schools. Partnerships with local visitor industry employers, educational institutions and professional associations enable the Black Hospitality Initiative to help its clients set and reach their career goals. Career development workshops are available to assist with successful transitions and placement.