For LGBTQ travelers, Miami begins with Dan Rios.
As the Director of Marketing for LGBTQ tourism at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Rios is responsible for ensuring our community gets a warm welcome.
“I lean into community as the foundation to develop our message,” Rios said. “It has been my goal to connect with different groups.”
Perhaps his biggest accomplishment in 22 years at the CVB is developing the Miami Begins with Me LGBTQ Diversity and Inclusion Training.
Under Rios’ direction, the CVB has partnered with the YES Institute to train members of the tourism and hospitality industry to effectively engage and welcome LGBTQ visitors. He has also created successful programs that highlight Miami’s burgeoning hotels market and streamline the booking process.
Prior to joining the CVB, Rios was an art director at Morgan Stanley and a graphic designer at the reputable O Group in New York, where he worked on luxury brands Salvatore Ferragamo and Moët Hennessy.
Originally from Colombia, Rios came out at the age of 15 and went on to earn a degree from Parsons School of Design. Travel is his passion, having visited 70 countries and territories to date, including summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro this year.
The 54-year-old lives in Miami Beach with his husband, Robert Petrera. The couple have been happily married for seven years and together for 12.
Homepage: OUT & PROUD 2024
