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Featured Event
 

tm_aug25_member_luncheon

Registration is Now Open
Tuesday, December 13, 2016

 
 
Join the Conversation
 

Thankful

This Thanksgiving, Visit Orlando created conversation by asking Facebook fans and Twitter followers what they were thankful for on social media.

 
 
Visit Orlando Events
 

Dec. 8
Leads Lunch
Copper Canyon Grill

9101 International Drive Suite 1220,
Orlando, FL 32819
Cost: $18
11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Click here to RSVP.


Dec. 13
Annual Meeting & Luncheon

Orlando World Center
Marriott
Click here to register.


Member Presents
Members interested in targeting the meetings and convention market can present their products or services during monthly, 30-minute sessions with Destination Services. Click here to schedule a session.

 
 
Member-to-Member Offers
 

Orange Lake Golf

Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort is more than a stay, it is a place to play. Enjoy seven swimming pools, including a lazy river-style pool, waterslides, miniature golf courses, arcades, four golf courses, tennis, an 80-acre lake with plenty of watersports, a fun zone, and more. Visit Orlando members save up to 10 percent off your stay. Call 407-477-7029 to reserve.

rollins

Annie Russell Theatre at Rollins College is offering Visit Orlando members $10 off a season subscription. For $55, you'll receive one ticket to The Foreigner, Upton Abbey: An Improvised Comedy of English Manors, A Piece of My Heart, and Urinetown, The Musical. Visit rollins.edu/annie for tickets and use code: VISITORLANDO.

Dollar Off Drinks is extending a 20 percent discount on their six-month and one-year memberships to Visit Orlando members. To redeem, use promo code: visitorlando.

jetski

Sammy Duvall Watersports, located behind Disney's Contemporary Resort, is proud to offer Visit Orlando members 10 percent off all water activities (parasailing, personal watercraft, wake boarding, water skiing and more) now through Dec. 31. To claim this offer, call 407-939-0754 or email reservations@sammyduvall.com, and mention the offer code "visitorlando10" when booking.

Sugarcanes Rum Bar & Lounge wants to invite Visit Orlando members to the Tuesday & Wednesday Massive Happy Hour experience. Visit Orlando members also receive an additional 10 percent off their ticket during non-happy hour times as well.

 
 
Industry Events
 

gift away

Run the PNC Family Challenge 5K on Dec. 3 at the scenic Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida. Click here to register.

The PNC Father/Son Challenge will take place Dec. 8-11 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. This tournament celebrates family values and the special relationships that are created on the golf course. Visit pncfathersonchallenge.com for more details.

gift away

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida, Visit Orlando's charity partner, is in need of holiday gifts for the more than 700 children in their program. Please consider donating $10 gift cards for the "Holiday Little Gift Giveaway" event to be held Dec. 10. Gift cards can be delivered or mailed to Kristin Rothbauer at Visit Orlando, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32821.

La Nouba Hospitality Nights
Hospitality industry employees may purchase (up to six) tickets starting at $48 (adult) and $39 (child) for Thursday night shows. Tickets must be purchased at the La Nouba Box Office. For more information, please call 407-939-7328 or visit lanouba.com.

 
 
Community Events
 

Dec. 2
I-Drive Chamber Holiday Ball & Bash
Mango's

Dec. 3
64th Annual Winter Park Christmas Parade
Park Avenue, Winter Park FL

Dec. 8-11
Orlando Ballet: The Nutcracker
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Dec. 10
Don Quijote Awards
Epcot World Showcase

Dec. 10-11
A Classic Christmas performed by Bach Festival Choir & Orchestra
Knowles Memorial Chapel, Winter Park

Through Dec. 17
Deck the Downtown
Downtown Orlando

Through Dec. 31
SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration
SeaWorld Orlando

Through Jan. 1, 2017
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art Celebrating 75 Years
Morse Museum

Through Jan. 6, 2017
Downtown for the Holidays
Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando

Through Jan. 10, 2017
Holidays at the Waterhouse
Art & History Museums Maitland

 
 
Connect With Visit Orlando
 

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Be sure to follow @VisitOrlando on Instagram and Twitter, fan us at facebook.com/VisitOrlando or watch YouTube.com/VisitOrlando for more insider information about the world's most famous destination!

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President & CEO's Message
 

Dec. 2, 2016

City of the Year

George AguelThis week Orlando received two important recognitions that are both meaningful and encouraging as Americans begin making 2017 vacation plans.

First is the good news that one of the leading gay travel websites, GayCities.com , has named Orlando "City of the Year." We will be officially recognized on Dec. 12 in conjunction with the Community Marketing LGBT Tourism & Hospitality Conference, and Orlando will be featured on their popular website all month long. We are proud that our destination is so inclusive and welcoming to all, and want to ensure that our members also know that we offer LGBTQ vacation planning resources on VisitOrlando.com/LGBTQ.

I also am very pleased to share with you that yesterday TripAdvisor named Orlando as the No. 1 winter travel destination where Americans can also save based on search interest and average weekly cost.

Congratulations to all of our members who work hard to create this amazing destination and make our visitors' experience special.

-George Aguel

 
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From the Research & Insights Desk of Visit Orlando
 

CEIR Index for Third Quarter

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announced the CEIR Index for the third quarter rose 1.9 percent over same time last year. The index consists of four key metrics for the meetings industry, and all four posted growth. Net Square Feet and Real Revenues both increased 2.2 percent year-over-year, Exhibitors rose 2.1 percent and Attendees rose 1.1 percent. The third quarter represented faster growth than the 1.6 percent increase in second quarter, and marked the 25th consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth. Click here for more information.

 
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Visit Orlando Updates
 

Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Generate Impressions

The Public Relations team generated more than 73 million impressions as a result of pitching destination-wide Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, including Visit Orlando's "Attraction Friday" 5 percent ticket savings. Highlights include placements in Huffington Post, Conde Nast Traveler and NBCNews.com.

AOHT

Hospitality GO! Leaders in Training

More than 250 high school students attended the NAF Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AoHT) Conference on Nov. 18 at the Rosen College where Visit Orlando's Chief Marketing Officer Danielle Hollander gave the keynote address. AoHT, which is in place at five Orange County Public School high schools, helps students chart career paths in Central Florida's largest industry - hospitality. Speakers included Universal Orlando Resort and Disney Event Group among others.

Brazil FAM

Brazilian Travel Agents Attend Fam

Visit Orlando hosted 36 travel agents and three of the top Brazilian trade media during the 4th Annual Brazil Superfam. During their stay, attendees experienced Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, I-Drive Nascar, I-Drive 360, Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil, as well as attended an Orlando Magic game and enjoyed several dining venues around the destination.

UK FAM

UK Spotlights Orlando for Adults

Nearly a million potential impressions were earned by a recent UK group press trip, themed around "Orlando for Adults." The group explored various venues from fine dining and nightlife, to thrilling theme park experiences and local culture. Participating members included: The Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Walt Disney World Resort, the Morse Museum, the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour and The Mall at Millenia.

Colombia TV

New Attractions Highlighted in Segments

Visit Orlando hosted Noticiero (News) International, one of Colombia's top shows boasting a reach of more than 3.9 million. The television crew filmed some of Orlando's newest additions including King Kong Skull Island, The Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Disney Springs, Mako and much more. Five segments were broadcast on two separate programs during November. Additional coverage was also generated by magazines owned by the television publishing company with a combined circulation of 246,000.

Forbes

Forbes Highlights Reasons to Visit Orlando

ForbesTravelGuide.com (146,000 UMV) highlighted why now is the best time of year to visit Orlando - from the up-and-coming sports and dining scenes to holiday events and the fact that there is always something new to experience.

Talk & Dine Event Showcases Orlando

Visit Orlando, alongside SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, showcased the destination's offerings to 45 local travel agents at a DER Touristik Talk & Dine event on Nov. 17 in Karlsruhe, Germany.

 

Emeril

"Emeril's Florida" Orlando Episode Airs

Visit Orlando partnered with the hit show "Emeril's Florida" for a fourth season, resulting in six Orlando dedicated shows to date. The newest season premiered on the Cooking Channel earlier this year and is now re-airing on the Food Network. Click here to view a teaser segment of the season that debuted in March, featuring Orlando-renowned chefs.

Weather Network

Canada's Weather Network Broadcast a Success

Canada's Weather Network broadcasted their morning show, with an estimated 8.2 million viewers, live for an entire week from several Orlando locations including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando, Buena Vista Watersports and the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye . The broadcast resulted in 80 live cut-ins and more than 160 minutes of exposure for the destination. The segments showcased the abundance of experiences Orlando has to offer and year-round warm weather.

TPI FAM

Travel Agents Experience Attractions

Thirteen travel agents with the TPI Fam experienced many of the destination's popular attractions including: SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Mango's Tropical Café. While staying at the Caribe Royale, the group also visited many of the destination's accommodations such as Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Buena Vista Suites, B Resort Hotel, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Caribbean Beach Resort.

Icelandair

Scandinavian Sales Mission

Approximately 200 tour operators and travel agents were trained on everything Orlando has to offer during the Scandinavian Sales Mission, Nov. 21-25. Partnering with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Universal Orlando Resort and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, Visit Orlando conducted in-house presentations and hosted various evening events with Icelandair Denmark and Discover America Norway. Pictured are sales mission partners Icelandair Denmark, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Universal Orlando Resort, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater; and Visit Orlando.

Cisco

Cisco Live! Coming to Orlando in 2018

Members of Cisco Live! and George P. Johnson Inc. visited Orlando for a pre-planning site. Cisco Live! will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in June 2018 with an estimated attendance of 22,000. Cisco Live! 2018 will allow customers, executives, experts and partners to share insights on emerging technologies and their potential to transform the way we work, learn, and play. From left to right: Jaqueline Huang, Designer; Eve Freeman, Program Lead; Johannah Baccaglio, Event Program Manager; Sarah Lenardson, Operations Program Manager; Ann Fabiano, Account Director; Kim Teevan, Customer Appreciation Event; Jennifer Lawson, Director of Special Events; and Suzanne Hanson, Creative Director.

Visit Orlando Attends Education Summit

Visit Orlando's Midwest Convention Sales citywide team networked with more than 175 meeting professionals at the Meeting Planners International (MPI) Great Lakes Education Summit, Nov. 13-15. This annual event continues to be a great opportunity to further industry education.

Leadership Forum Addresses Industry Trends

Alongside the Orange County Convention Center, Visit Orlando attended the Association Headquarters Leadership Forum in New Jersey. The two-day educational event brought together association headquarters client partners and their executive staff to address hot topics and trends, as well as participate in peer-to-peer roundtable discussions.

Engaging with Meeting Planners

Visit Orlando was represented at the Financial & Insurance Conference Planners (FICP) Annual Conference in Nashville, which boasted record-breaking attendance this year with more than 700 meeting planners and hospitality partners. Visit Orlando engaged in one-on-one appointments with decision makers during TheNetwork, a dedicated event for conference attendees to meet and connect with hospitality partners.

 
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News About Orlando
 

OCCC

This Week at the Convention Center

Group Meeting Start End Estimated Attendees Estimated Economic Impact
American Association of Equine Practitioners, Inc. American Association of Equine Practitioners 62nd Annual Convention Dec. 4 Dec. 6 7,000 $13,790,000
EPG Media, LLC a Division of AGI Productions, LLC Marine Dealer Conference & Expo 2016 Dec. 6 Dec. 8 1,100 $2,167,000
Florida School Nutrition Association, Inc. FSNA 2016 Equipment & Food Expo Dec. 9 Dec. 10 1,500 $2,955,000
Orlando Magic, Ltd. Showdown in O-Town 2016 Dec. 10 Dec. 10 5,000 $216,700
 

Dec1_lake_eola

Orlando Named Top Winter Destination

Travel and booking site TripAdvisor announced the City Beautiful as the No. 1 winter travel destination where Americans can save based on search interest and average weekly cost.

Read More

Highway in the Sky Dine-Around

Walt Disney World Resort is offering a new dining experience where guests can journey through Disney's resorts on the monorail and taste the best each stop has to offer.

Read More

 

MCO terminal

Top 25 Family Friendly Airports

The Orlando International Airport is the No. 1 most family-friendly airport in the U.S. with its major shopping areas, kid-friendly food court and 3,000 gallon aquarium.

Read More

Universal Partners with Nintendo

Universal Orlando is creating multiple attractions, shops and restaurants that will include the iconic Nintendo gameplay, heroes and villains over the next few years.

Read More

 
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Industry News
 

Florida Sets Another Tourism Record

Gov. Rick Scott announced that Florida set another record in tourism by welcoming the highest amount of visitors of any nine months with 85 million international and out-of-state visitors.

Read More

Travel: Making the World a Better Place

Tips to #ShareHowYouCare in 2017 includes ways to impact the world while traveling such as hiking with a team or building relationships and joining meet-ups.

Read More

 

Redefining Leisure Vacations

Allied Market Research expect a thriving growth for the luxury travel market in the next few years as travel expenditure becomes a top priority for the 21st century population.

Read More

CDC Zika Information

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), its most current data available (Nov. 30, 2016) indicate that 185 locally acquired cases have been reported in the United States, while 4,310 travel-associated cases have been reported. For the most current information about the Zika virus, visit the CDC's Zika page.

 
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Tourism Ambassadors
 
ARDA Bags BB&T British Airways Clear Channel Outdoor
Darden Florida Distributing Company Florida Hospital The Florida Mall Lufthansa
The Mall at Millenia Orlando Economic Development Commission Orlando Health Orlando International Airport Orlando Magic
Orlando Premium Outlets OUC Smart City Tupperware Brands
 
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