The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami is introducing an outdoor Mini-Me Science: Into the Wild series that invites children ages three to six and their caregivers to explore South Florida’s natural environments through science-focused activities. Designed for young learners and their families, the program combines hands-on STEM activities, storytelling and guided nature walks to highlight local ecosystems. Each session lasts about two and a half hours and registration covers one child and two adults, with the option to add older siblings and additional adults for an extra fee. Snacks and water are included, and participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. The series begins with a Florida Coastlines session at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, where families will investigate native wildlife and may observe signs of sea turtle nesting, followed by a Florida Forests session at Ron Ehmann Park that focuses on the region’s Pine Rockland ecosystem and the work of field biologists. The coastlines program is offered in collaboration with the museum’s Museum Volunteers for the Environment initiative and MORAES of South Florida, while the forests session is presented with support from Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces. Sessions are aimed exclusively at children ages three to six, who must be accompanied by an adult, and space is limited with no refunds or exchanges available. Families can learn more and register for upcoming Mini-Me Science: Into the Wild dates through the Frost Science website. By ML. Photo(s)/Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science

Ann Storck Center has incorporated Victory Living Programs into its operations, expanding its continuum of care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across South Florida. The integration brings additional supported living, supported employment, and adult day training services under the Ann Storck Center umbrella, broadening options for individuals seeking community-based support. Victory Living Programs, founded in 1974, has focused on helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live with greater independence and dignity. Ann Storck Center, which began in 1951 when pediatric nurse Ann Storck opened her South Florida home to children with disabilities, has since grown into a Fort Lauderdale campus serving more than 400 individuals each day. The addition of Victory Living Programs is intended to increase access to services and create more opportunities for individuals and families throughout the region. Learn more about Ann Storck Center The announcement comes as the organization highlights Disability Pride Month, emphasizing inclusion, accessibility, and recognition of the strengths and contributions of people with disabilities in the community. By ML. Photo(s)/Ann Storck Center

For visitors wishing to explore Lake Como’s maritime traditions beyond the museum, Lake Como Experiences creates personalized journeys connecting the region’s culture, cuisine, and scenery. Founded in 2020 by Meriem Alami and Pierluigi Passaseo, the boutique company specializes in private itineraries featuring classic wooden boat cruises, cooking classes, wine tastings, artisan workshops, and exclusive visits to historic villas and private residences throughout Italy’s most iconic lake. New for 2026, Lake Como Experiences introduces Amina, a custom-built Venetian water taxi designed by the founders, offering an elegant and authentic way to explore Lake Como by water. Focused on locally rooted experiences, personalized service, and sustainable tourism, the company designs memorable excursions for couples, families, and small groups throughout the year. Learn more at www.lakecomoexperiences.com, email info@lakecomoexperiences.com, or follow @lakecomoexperiences on Instagram.

Who wrote the Odyssey? Homer, obviously: that is what we’ve been told since the late 6th century BCE, when ancient Greeks started crediting the Odyssey to a blind bard from the rocky isle of Chios. Odysseus killing the suitors. New York Public Library/Unsplash But this “Homer” appeared at least a century later than the poem itself. When the Odyssey first began to circulate in ancient Greece, no one knew its author. The song seems to have created the singer, not the other way around. How can you have a poem without a poet? Two American researchers, Milman Parry and Albert Lord, came across a possible answer. In the 1930s, Parry and Lord travelled to the Balkans to study still-living traditions of epic poetry. In Yugoslavia and Albania, they found bards who sang of heroes from long ago. These singers did not recite from a book. Most of them couldn’t read or write at all. Instead, they improvised their epics as they sang. They knew the story by heart, but told it in different words with each performance. Balkan bards achieved this by relying on a stock of formulaic scenes, lines and phrases, which they combined on the spot. The formulae were passed down from teacher to student, so that all singers tended to sound alike. This telltale style is just what we find in Homeric poetry. More than 20 scenes in the Odyssey begin with the same line: “when early-born Dawn shone forth with rosy fingers…” All the poem’s major characters have a handful of constantly repeated descriptions to help fit their names into the dactylic hexameter of Homeric verse. Depending on how much space is left in a line, Odysseus appears as “divine Odysseus” (repeated 60 times in the poem), “very crafty Odysseus” (81 times), or “long-suffering divine Odysseus” (38 times). The literal meaning of these epithets is not so important. What matters is they work for the rhythm. The Iliad, also attributed to Homer, sings of “swift-footed Achilles” when he is lying in his tent and “laughing Aphrodite” as she cries out in pain. A poem millennia in the making The formulaic language of the Odyssey is the work of many generations. The poem mixes different dialects of ancient Greek and linguistic forms from different periods – some formulae date back to the Mycenaean period (c. 1600-1200 BCE) or earlier. Illustration of Odysseus from a French edition of the Odyssey – François-Louis Schmied (1928). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons A few scenes are even older. In the poem’s spectacular finale, Odysseus wins back his wife Penelope by stringing a massive bow and firing an arrow through 12 axeheads. In the ancient Indian Mahābhārata, the hero Arjuna likewise bests the suitors of princess Draupadī by stringing a massive bow and hitting an impossible target. The archery contest to win a wife belongs to a prehistoric Eurasian tradition of oral storytelling. It has been incorporated into these Greek and Sanskrit texts, along with other scenes and formulae. The world of Homer therefore patches together multiple periods of history. The seams show in the occasional anachronism. In the great hall at Ithaca, the walls are hung with weapons of gleaming bronze. But when Odysseus commands his son to hide them away from the suitors, he puns: “for iron magnetises men to wield it”. The weapons belong to the imagined historical setting of the poem, when bronze was the metal of choice for warriors, but Odysseus’ proverb belongs to a later age, when iron weapons were common throughout the Mediterranean. From song to writing A poem that took shape over millennia cannot have a single author – at least, not in the way Jane Austen is the author of Emma. The Odyssey understands this. It starts by asking the Muse: eipe kai hēmin, “tell it for us, too”, or in Emily Wilson’s canny interpretation, “tell the old story for our modern times”. If no one wrote the Odyssey, we might still ask who wrote it down. After all, we have a text: at some point, the song was put to paper. Scholars have several theories. A singer might have learned to write and recorded their version of the tales of Odysseus. Or literate scribes might have taken dictation from an oral poet. Bust of Homer: a Roman copy of a lost Greek original from the 2nd century BCE. British Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The poem could even have taken shape by committee. In the late 6th century BCE, Pisistratus, tyrant of Athens, mandated the annual performance of the entire Iliad and Odyssey at a festival celebrating the goddess Athena. It takes about 20 hours to read the Odyssey aloud: too much for one voice. Singers had to divide the task, and that takes planning. The whole team must know the order of events, and share out episodes among themselves. Some scholars argue the festival fixed many songs about Odysseus into a single, canonical Odyssey, and perhaps even a script for performers to memorise. ‘Homer’ and the Homeridae But how was a poem without an author attributed to Homer? Homer (Homēros in Greek) is an unusual name. We know of no one else called Homer until the time of Alexander the Great. We do, however, know of a group called the Homeridae, active from the late 6th century BCE. The Homeridae, like those Balkan bards, were professional singers. Linguist Marcello Durante has suggested the name Homeridae might have come from the Sanctuary of Zeus Homarios (Zeus the Uniter). Other professional societies took their names from sacred sites: the Asclepiadae, for instance, were a guild of healers associated with the Asclepion temple. But the word “Homeridae” can also be understood as “the sons of Homer”. And at some point, the Homeridae began to present the poems they performed as compositions by a legendary ancestor, a “blind man from rocky Chios, whose songs will be supreme for all time”. This line comes from Hymn to Apollo, a poem from the late 6th century BCE, which, like the Odyssey, was attributed to Homer in antiquity. One ancient scholar tells us the Hymn to Apollo was actually written by a certain Cynaethus. Cynaethus – who happened to be from Chios – was a member of the Homeridae notorious for presenting his own poetry as the work of Homer. Cynaethus did not write the Odyssey. But as the Hellenist Martin West argued, this little-known forger might be responsible for the legend of its author, Homer, the supreme poet. Words by Tom Hercules Davies, Lecturer in Classics and Archaeology, The University of Melbourne. Special thanks for The Conversation. Support and donate today.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden will open after dark for its Moonlight at Fairchild program on Friday, July 31, one of only two nights each year that visitors can explore the grounds under the stars. The evening event will run from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and will feature live music, cocktails in the open air, and guided stargazing through professional telescopes during July’s Buck Moon. A second Moonlight at Fairchild night is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, also from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., when guests can return to see the garden after dark under the Harvest Moon. Each evening includes extended after-hours access to the garden, live music and entertainment, cocktails, telescope stargazing, and a seasonal opportunity to experience Fairchild’s landscape at night. Tickets are available online for visitors planning to attend either date. By ML. Photo(s)/Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Miami City Ballet is waiving its 12% service fee on tickets to George Balanchine's The Nutcracker for purchases made through July 31, covering performances scheduled in Miami from December 11 to 27. The offer applies to tickets bought directly from Miami City Ballet, with exchange and will-call fees excluded and a limit of eight tickets per order. Opening weekend performances are expected to fill quickly, and organizers encourage early booking while the no-fee promotion is in effect. The company will also present Nutcracker Magic on Thursday, December 10, a family-focused event featuring festive activities, sweet treats and access to a private dress rehearsal of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Learn more about tickets and related programming. Tickets for Miami City Ballet performances are primarily sold through the company and may also be available via its partner venues, including the Arsht Center, Broward Center and Kravis Center. By ML. Photo(s)/Miami City Ballet

Miami sets a high bar for a weekend away. The bar and the beach are always within reach, so a new destination has to earn the trip. Image by Ivy Tang / Unsplash Arizona clears that bar with warm winters, red rock canyons, and desert resorts that rival any coast. If you want space, quiet, and star-filled nights, the state delivers. Many South Florida visitors book luxury vacation rentals in Arizona for private pools and pickleball courts near Scottsdale and Sedona. Why Should Miami Travelers Consider Arizona? Arizona offers a change of pace without a long-haul flight. Direct routes from Miami reach Phoenix in under 6 hours. That is a short hop for scenery this dramatic. The desert also flips the calendar. Winter here means dry 70-degree afternoons and cool evenings. You trade humidity for clear skies and low rainfall. The state pairs raw nature with real polish. A morning hike can end at a spa lunch. The region near Sedona anchors one famous desert luxury resort and dozens of quieter retreats. Few places blend wilderness and comfort so easily. Cost also works in your favor here. A private home often costs less than 2 beachfront suites in peak season. You get more space and more privacy for the same budget. That math appeals to families and small groups alike. When Is the Best Time to Visit Arizona? Timing shapes the whole trip. The desert swings hard between seasons, so pick your window with care. November to April: Peak season brings mild days and cool nights. Expect 65 to 75 degrees in the valley. March and April: Wildflowers bloom and spring training fills Scottsdale. Book early, since rates climb fast. May and October: Shoulder months offer warm days and thinner crowds. Prices dip between the peaks. June to September: Summer runs hot, with valley highs often over 100 degrees. Sedona and Flagstaff stay cooler at elevation. Winter suits South Florida travelers best. You skip the cold snaps back home. You also gain a dry, sunny break from the humidity. What Should You Do In Scottsdale and Phoenix? Scottsdale is the polished heart of any Arizona trip. The Old Town district packs galleries, patios, and rooftop bars into a walkable grid. Golf courses and spas sit minutes away. Image by Valeriia Bugaiova / Unsplash Phoenix adds culture and size next door. The Desert Botanical Garden shows off 50,000 desert plants across its trails. Camelback Mountain rewards early risers with wide valley views. Food here has grown up fast. Chefs lean on citrus, chiles, and mesquite for bold plates. This kind of relaxed luxury travel rewards a slow pace. Save one evening for a quiet desert dinner under the stars. Shopping and art round out the days. Old Town galleries stay open late on Thursday art walks. Spring training draws baseball fans each March. Book those weekends well ahead, since hotels sell out early. What Makes Sedona Worth the Drive? Sedona sits about 2 hours north of Phoenix. The red rock country there feels like another planet. Most visitors call it the highlight of the whole trip. Red rock hikes: Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock offer short, scenic climbs for most fitness levels. Scenic drives: Oak Creek Canyon winds through pines and cliffs on the way to Flagstaff. Wellness stays: Spas and retreats use the setting for quiet, restorative getaways. Day trips: Grand Canyon National Park sits about 2 hours farther north for a big-view detour. Art and shops: Tlaquepaque village gathers galleries and cafes in a shaded courtyard. Sedona sits near 4,500 feet, so pack a light layer. Evenings cool off even in warmer months. The elevation keeps summer more bearable than the valley floor. How Do You Choose Where to Stay? Location drives the feel of your stay. Scottsdale keeps you close to dining, nightlife, and the airport. Sedona trades that buzz for silence and views. A private rental often beats a hotel for groups. You gain a full kitchen, a heated pool, and room to spread out. Many homes add courts, fire pits, and desert yards. Match the home to your plans. A golf trip favors Scottsdale, while a reset favors Sedona. Book the standout amenities early, since the best homes go fast for 2026. Think about the group size too. A home that sleeps 8 spreads the nightly cost. Look for a heated pool, fast wifi, and covered parking. Those details matter most in the desert climate. Arizona Getaway Essentials Fly Miami to Phoenix in under 6 hours for an easy long weekend. Visit November through April for mild 70-degree days and low rain. Base in Scottsdale for dining and golf, or Sedona for red rock quiet. Save 2 hours each way for a Grand Canyon day trip from Sedona. Choose a private rental with a heated pool for groups of 4 or more. Pack layers, since desert nights cool off fast even in summer. Making the Desert Trip Count Arizona rewards travelers who plan around the seasons. Pick winter, split time between Scottsdale and Sedona, and let the desert set the pace. A private home with a pool ties it all together. For a Miami crowd used to the coast, the swap feels fresh and easy. FAQ When Is the Cheapest Time to Visit Arizona? Summer brings the lowest rates, from June through September. Valley heat pushes prices down, though resorts still fill on weekends. May and October offer a milder budget window. Do You Need a Car In Scottsdale? A car helps for most Arizona trips. Old Town Scottsdale is walkable, but Sedona and the Grand Canyon are not. Rentals make day trips and desert drives far easier. How Far Is Sedona From Phoenix? Sedona sits about 2 hours north of Phoenix by car. The drive covers roughly 120 miles on scenic highways. Many travelers stop in Jerome or Montezuma Castle along the way. Is Arizona Good for a Winter Escape? Yes, winter is the prime season for the valley. Days hover near 70 degrees with clear skies and low rain. It suits South Florida visitors who want warmth without humidity. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Unsplash

Chanel has expanded its Rouge Coco Baume Shine line with additional tinted lip balm shades that offer buildable color and hydrating care. The collection now features shades such as 754 Tender Peach, 756 Cherry Burst, 758 Blushing Pink and 762 Raspberry Kiss, designed to deliver customizable coverage while conditioning the lips. Rouge Coco Baume Shine is described as a hydrating, beautifying tinted balm that can be layered from a sheer wash to more intense color, allowing wearers to adjust their look throughout the day. More information on the Rouge Coco Baume Shine range is available on Chanel’s website. By ML. Photo(s)/CHANEL

Christian Dior Couture has introduced ready-to-wear and accessories from its Autumn Winter 2026-2027 runway presentation to its global boutiques and online store. Central to the collection is the iconic Bar jacket, first presented in 1947 as part of the New Look, which appears in updated cuts and materials while maintaining its sculpted silhouette. Accessories highlight Dior’s signature hardware on versatile footwear, and the Dior Cigale bag offers a contemporary interpretation of the house’s enduring design codes. The Autumn Winter 2026-2027 show pieces are available in Dior boutiques and on Dior.com for clients seeking to explore the full selection. By ML. Photo(s)/Christian Dior Couture

Owning a pet not only saves a life, gives it a shelter, a home and a family where it can grow old in a safe environment but it directly helps one to alleviate loneliness, anxiety, sadness and work stress. Pets pick up nuanced human gestures and advance themselves for affection and core love. They are often kinder to you than you are to yourself. The four paws can be your best friend, a walking therapy, a companion and a go-to creature when you are down. So let’s find out the pet adoption places in Miami to get ourselves an adorable pet. 1 - Humane Society of Greater Miami The Humane Society is renowned for a reason. You can adopt a puppy or kitten for a nominal fee that includes vaccinations, spay or neuter, a microchip and a bag of dog food. Puppies also get a dog tag included in the price which is cute in itself. The only requirement to adopt these cuddly creatures is a valid I.D. and a copy of your rental lease, if you are a renter. Certainly a reliable place to go for a pet adoption. Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash Address: 16101 W. Dixie Highway North Miami Beach, FL 33160 Telephone: (305) 696-0800 Website: Humane Society of Greater Miami, Soffer and Fine Adoption Center 2 - Miami-Dade County Animal Services This is a home to myriad abandoned and homeless animals. Unlike the Humane Society, these lovable creatures face the possibility of euthanasia. That’s why this is the perfect place to adopt a puppy or a kitten. Your adoption fee includes vaccinations, a microchip, a tag for puppies and that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with saving a life. You just have to bring a valid I.D. and a proof of residence. Image courtesy of Miami-Dade County Animal Services Address: 7401 N.W. 74th St. Miami, FL 33166 Telephone: (305) 884-1101 Website: Miami-Dade County Animal Services 3 - Friends Forever Rescue This place specializes in adopting dogs. All of its dogs are rescues, and it hosts a virtual shelter that allows you to find the perfect pet online, or go to PetSmart on Saturday and Petco on Sunday to see the puppies in person. If you’re looking up for kittens, it also has a limited selection of felines. Adoption requirements include mailing or faxing an application from its website, and paying an adoption fee in cash or check only. Photo by Oscar Sutton on Unsplash Address: P.O. Box 163455 Miami, FL 33116 Telephone: (786) 229-9002 Website: Friends Forever Rescue 4: The Cat Network It is an ASPCA-affiliated company that also utilizes a network of volunteers and foster homes instead of housing cats in a shelter. You can choose from an abundance of cats and kittens online knowing this organization works hard to save cats through non-lethal population control, such as sterilization, instead of euthanasia. Your adoption fee includes deworming, vaccinations and spay/neuter. Find the adoption application on its website and rescue one of more than 7,000 cats adopted through the group since 1995. Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash Address: P.O. Box 347228 Miami, FL 33234 Telephone: (305) 255-3482 Website: The Cat Network 5 - Dalmatian Rescue, Inc. and Pets at Risk Rescue Pets at Risk Rescue, like many pet adoption agencies, do not have a physical address. Its adopters are taken care of through a network of foster care volunteers. Potential owners need only go to its website to view the dogs up for adoption. Complete an application on its website, fax vaccination records of your current pets, submit to a home visit, pay a fee, and sign the adoption agreement. The fee includes vaccinations, spay or neuter, and your pet will already be house trained. Cat and dog breeds in addition to dalmatians are available through the Pets at Risk Rescue program under Dalmatian Rescue Inc. Photo by Ashley Diane Worsham/Unsplash Address: P.O. Box 640108 North Miami Beach, FL 33164 Telephone: (305) 940-3320 Website: Dalmatian Rescue, Inc. and Pets at Risk Rescue By ML Staff. Dog gif image/animation by Evan Matthew Cohen. Evan is an illustrator and comic book artist available for commissions and special requests. Follow him at @evanmcohen, wetflakeybark.tumblr.com.

Image by iStock Photo The best way to compare safe neighborhoods in Port St. Lucie is to look beyond crime statistics and consider factors such as community involvement, schools, property maintenance, local amenities, and overall quality of life. Taking a well-rounded approach can help you choose a neighborhood that meets both your safety expectations and your lifestyle. Port St. Lucie is one of Florida's fastest-growing cities, attracting families, retirees, and professionals with its beautiful parks, coastal location, and strong sense of community. As more people relocate to the area, many begin researching the safest neighborhoods in Port St. Lucie before deciding where to buy or rent a home. While no neighborhood is completely free of crime, careful research can help you identify communities that best match your priorities. Start With Reliable Crime Data Crime statistics are a good starting point, but they should not be your only source of information. Review official reports from local law enforcement agencies and compare crime trends over several years rather than focusing on a single report. It is also helpful to understand the types of crimes occurring in an area. A neighborhood with occasional property crimes may present a different living experience than one with higher rates of violent offenses. Looking at long-term trends provides a more balanced picture than relying on isolated incidents. Visit the Neighborhood at Different Times A neighborhood can feel very different depending on the time of day. Visit your preferred areas during the morning, afternoon, evening, and weekends to observe how the community changes. While visiting, pay attention to: Street lighting Traffic patterns Sidewalk conditions Noise levels Public parks General cleanliness You may also notice whether residents are walking, exercising, or spending time outdoors, which can provide insight into everyday community activity. Talk With Residents Speaking with people who already live in the neighborhood is one of the most valuable parts of your research. Residents can often share information about traffic, local events, emergency response, schools, and the overall atmosphere. Ask open-ended questions instead of focusing only on crime. Learning what people enjoy about living in the area can help you understand whether the neighborhood is a good fit for your needs. Evaluate Schools and Local Amenities Even if you do not have children, nearby schools often reflect the stability and long-term investment within a community. You should also consider access to grocery stores, hospitals, pharmacies, parks, and recreational facilities. Having essential services nearby not only makes daily life more convenient but may also contribute to a neighborhood's overall appeal and sense of community. Observe Property Maintenance Well-maintained homes, landscaped yards, and clean public spaces often indicate that residents take pride in their community. Although appearance alone does not determine safety, neighborhoods with active homeowners and maintained public areas frequently demonstrate stronger community engagement. Look for working streetlights, maintained sidewalks, and public spaces that appear clean and regularly used. Consider Transportation and Accessibility Think about how easily you can travel to work, schools, shopping centers, and healthcare facilities. Safe crosswalks, clearly marked roads, bicycle lanes, and accessible sidewalks are important features for many residents. If you plan to commute daily, evaluate traffic patterns during peak hours to make sure the neighborhood is practical as well as comfortable. Learn About Community Development Neighborhood safety is also influenced by long-term investment and community planning. In Florida, Florida Statutes Section 163.506 allows local governments to establish neighborhood improvement districts that help fund public improvements and community development projects. While this law does not determine whether a neighborhood is safe, it reflects how cities can invest in maintaining infrastructure and enhancing residential areas over time. Compare Multiple Neighborhoods Avoid choosing the first neighborhood you visit. Comparing several communities allows you to evaluate safety alongside affordability, commute times, amenities, and future development. Making a checklist of your priorities can help you objectively compare each location before making your final decision. Taking a little extra time during your search can lead to greater confidence in your choice. Key Takeaways Research official crime data and look for long-term trends. Visit neighborhoods at different times to observe daily activity. Talk with local residents to gain firsthand insights. Evaluate nearby schools, parks, healthcare facilities, and other amenities. Look for signs of community pride, such as well-maintained homes and public spaces. Florida Statutes Section 163.506 supports neighborhood improvement efforts that can contribute to long-term community development. Comparing multiple neighborhoods gives you a better understanding of which area best matches your lifestyle and safety expectations. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of iStock Photo

What happens after a city hosts the world? Miami is about to find out. In 2026 the city hosted seven FIFA World Cup matches, including a quarterfinal and the bronze final. The city’s broader calendar also featured the College Football Playoff national championship game, the World Baseball Classic and the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. World Cup fans have flooded Miami in June and July 2026, but tourism experts are wondering whether that will translate to more tourism next year. Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images The question now is whether this global exposure in 2026 will translate into sustained tourism demand in 2027. As dean of one of the nation’s leading hospitality schools, I research trends affecting tourism, travel behavior and the hospitality industry in one of the country’s most international visitor markets. My work keeps me closely connected to industry leaders and destination partners across South Florida. Based on the latest economic indicators and South Florida’s calendar of major events, 2027 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the area’s visitor economy. Right now the data points to fewer domestic budget travelers but more – and higher-spending – international ones. The fall of Spirit Start with the biggest shock: the closure of Spirit Airlines in May 2026. The ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in South Florida was the dominant airline at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for years. But in spring 2026, jet fuel prices roughly doubled amid the fuel crisis triggered by conflict in the Middle East, and when a hoped-for federal rescue fell through. Only months earlier the airline had planned 100 peak daily departures from Fort Lauderdale in 2026. That capacity is now gone. The consequences of this for 2027 fall unevenly. Ultra-low-cost carriers make their living on price-sensitive leisure travelers, such as the families and spontaneous weekenders who fill Florida hotel rooms in the shoulder seasons of April to May and September to November. With Spirit’s seats gone and fuel costs pushing fares up across the airline industry, the cheapest tier of air travel to Florida has thinned considerably. Some of those trips will likely migrate to remaining carriers at higher fares. Others simply will not happen. Then there are Florida residents, who accounted for about 9.1 million visits to Greater Miami in 2025, including 4.8 million overnight visitors and 4.3 million day-trippers. This segment is best insulated from the airline price shock, which will help 2027 visitation. In 2026, Miami International Airport has seen an uptick in overall international travel. Joe Raedle/Getty Images News via Getty Images International travel Even before the latest concerns about fuel prices and Spirit Airlines’ closure, Greater Miami’s international market was inconsistent. In 2025 the area’s international visitation declined 2.8% to about 6.26 million total international travelers. Overnight visitors from Colombia, Brazil and Canada decreased, for a loss of roughly 75,000 visitors compared to 2024. Growth from the U.K., Italy and Argentina nearly offset that loss, adding about 73,000 visitors combined, but those gains were not enough to reverse the overall decline in international visitation. This matters because international visitors tend to punch above their weight economically. In Greater Miami they accounted for roughly US$7.2 billion in spending in 2025, about 5% more than the prior year, even as total international visitation dipped 2.8%. This suggests people are staying longer and spending more. Early 2026 showed signs of a rebound from that dip. U.S. inbound international travel fell 5.5% in 2025, and early 2026 has been uneven nationally. But Florida’s gateways remain a bright spot: In the first quarter of 2026, Miami, Orlando and Tampa together processed about 1.59 million international arrivals; 1.13 million of those arrivals were to Miami International Airport alone. Meanwhile, JFK and Newark airports welcomed slightly more overseas arrivals at 1.15 million, but this is down 7% from the first quarter of 2025 for those destinations. Carrying the momentum forward Early media research suggests that the World Cup may help carry Greater Miami’s tourism momentum into 2027. The Miami Host Committee reported that the FIFA Fan Festival Miami drew more than 600,000 fans over 24 days at Bayfront Park, alongside more than 70 match broadcasts, 1,000 performers, dozens of food and beverage vendors and family-friendly activities. If they had a good time, the more than 64,000 fans who attended these matches may plan a return trip to Miami. Still, 2027 has no World Cup, no CFP championship, no World Baseball Classic. But the calendar is not empty – it’s simply different. Miami Beach is hosting the Professional Convention Management Association Convening Leaders in January 2027, effectively giving thousands of the world’s meeting planners a chance to experience Miami’s beaches, nightlife and cultural amenities. The convention pipeline behind this event is unusually strong: Adobe’s Creativity Conference, the iConnections Global Alts investor gathering, Unleash America and a Nike national tournament are already contracted for the 2027 fiscal year. And Amazon, WordPress and Boston Consulting Group events are currently in advanced negotiation. Plus, recurring anchor events such as the Miami Open, Formula 1 Grand Prix, Art Basel and the South Beach Wine and Food Festival will continue. The Grand Hyatt Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center’s long-awaited 800-room headquarters hotel, is scheduled to open in November 2027. This structural addition will outlast any single event. In short, 2027’s demand skews away from one-off spectacle and toward business events, group travel and repeat leisure. The price is right Pricing is the wild card, and the freshest data shows why hotel performance depends not only on how many rooms are booked but on how much travelers are willing to pay for them. Through May 2026, Miami-Dade led all top 25 U.S. hotel markets in occupancy at nearly 80%, while posting the nation’s highest average daily rate at $293.67, up 11.2% in a year. Preliminary data on hotel stays for the week ending June 27, 2026, shows Miami’s average daily rate is up 51.1% year over year, and revenue per available room is up 51.6%. Occupancy was relatively flat at 73.5%, underscoring that the World Cup effect was driven more by pricing power than by fuller hotels. The 2027 forecast The question now is whether any of that pricing power persists once the event calendar normalizes, especially if airfares stay high and price-sensitive visitors stay home. My reading of the data is that headline visitor counts in 2027 may be roughly flat, perhaps even down modestly in the domestic budget segment. Meanwhile, I think visitor spending will prove more resilient, because the mix shifts toward international, group and drive-market travelers who stay longer or cost less to reach. Several early indicators will demonstrate whether this forecast is correct. I will be looking at how quickly airlines backfill Fort Lauderdale’s lost seats, along with how quickly the prices of jet fuel and airfare normalizes. It will also be important to watch whether the first quarter surges from Canada and Mexico persist through this winter and whether Latin American demand, still Florida’s international backbone, recovers from its 2025 dip. A stronger dollar can make Florida more expensive for overseas visitors, while concerns about visa delays and U.S. border procedures can affect whether travelers choose Florida or competing destinations elsewhere. But research on destination loyalty consistently shows that repeat visitation follows satisfaction with the total experience rather than any single attraction. Millions of first-time World Cup visitors have formed that impression in 2026. Miami business owners can’t set fuel prices or exchange rates, but they can determine whether the people who came for the world’s biggest sporting event find a reason to come back on their own in 2027. Words by Michael Cheng, Dean and Professor of Hospitality Management, Florida International University. Special thanks for The Conversation. Support and donate today. . Top beach photo by Austin Hervias/Unsplash