Featured Event
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Save the Date!
Aug. 20
Visit Orlando's Business Insights Summit
The event will feature keynote speaker Steve Forbes,
chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media,
and will be held at the Orange County Convention Center
in the Valencia Ballroom in the West Building.
9-10 a.m.: Registration and Networking Breakfast
10-11:30 a.m.: General Sessions
Noon-1:30 p.m.: Luncheon and Keynote featuring Steve Forbes
Register Now
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Visit Orlando Events
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July 15
Visiting Ours
Kings
5-6:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 members; $25 non-members;
$20 walk-in (space permitting)
Click here to register.
July 16
Business Referral Group
Regal Oaks - A CLC World Resort
5780 Golden Hawk Way
Kissimmee, FL 34746
Cost: $15 inclusive
Click here to RSVP.
July 24
Hot Topics! Educational Session - Emirates Routes & Markets
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
9-10:30 a.m.
Click here to register!
Aug. 6
Member Orientation
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.
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Congratulations Members |
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Member-to-Member Offers |
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On July 11 from 8 a.m. to noon, Florida Tech Challenge Course will waive the 10-person minimum for Visit Orlando members. For more information, call 321-674-8382, option 2, or click here.
Through July 15, Revenue Performance is offering Visit Orlando members 35 percent off of GLO-Get Leads Online, (regular cost $150 per month). Turn anonymous website visitors into qualified sales leads. This software will identify various components of the website visitor such as company, products and services of interest, contact information and length of time on site. Click here for a free 14-day trial. For more information, call 407-909-9036 x1037.
Barnie's CoffeeKitchen has launched a new website! Built to meet the needs of small- and mid-sized businesses that appreciate Barnie's high-quality specialty coffee, the site is tailored for offices seeking quick, easy, cost-efficient solutions. Through July 31, businesses will receive 15 percent off of their first order. Use code: OfficeCoffee15. For more information, click here.
Inspire your employees and staff this summer with Marc Mero's Dream Big Presentation, described as life-changing! Through August 28, Champion of Choices - Marc Mero is offering a 30 percent discount. Click here for more information or call 407-448-9956.
LTC Language Solutions is excited to invite new clients to try its language services! Learn a new language, utilize an interpreter, have a document translated, or just learn more about other cultures. Through October 1, receive 10 percent off of your first-time purchase. Questions? Please click here.
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Industry Events |
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Community Events |
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President & CEO's Message |
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July 10, 2015 |
STEVE FORBES HEADLINES VISIT ORLANDO BUSINESS INSIGHTS SUMMIT
Mark your calendars for Aug. 20, when Visit Orlando will hold its first-ever Business Insights Summit. We know that our members and local community leaders won't want to miss our special keynote speaker Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media.
A widely respected economic prognosticator, Forbes is the only writer to have won the highly prestigious Crystal Owl Award four times. The prize was given to the financial journalist whose economic forecasts for the coming year proved most accurate.
Earlier in the day, renowned national economist Anirban Basu will present his global economic forecast and participate in Q&A with Visit Orlando's invited guests. Basu is chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore, Maryland, where he also lectures at Johns Hopkins University. Our resident economist, Daryl Cronk, will also share Visit Orlando's outlook on our local tourism industry.
We're excited to bring this very special event and extraordinary lineup of speakers to our Central Florida membership and community in less than six weeks. I look forward to seeing you there!
-George Aguel
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From the Research & Insights Desk of Visit Orlando |
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Seat Capacity Up Nearly 10% Rest of Year
Seat capacity into Orlando's two international airports is scheduled to increase 9.7 percent during the second half of 2015, versus the same time last year. Domestic seats, which account for 85 percent of all seats, are scheduled to increase nearly 8 percent, while international seat capacity is scheduled to increase 23 percent. Seat capacity from Brazil is scheduled to increase a remarkable 116 percent versus the second half of last year. Seats from Mexico and Germany are each expected to increase approximately 35 percent, and capacity from the United Kingdom is scheduled to rise 17 percent. It should be noted that flight schedules and seat capacity are subject to change.
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Seat Capacity, Top 10 Origins |
H2 2015 |
% Change |
United States |
9,942,149 |
8% |
United Kingdom |
495,977 |
17% |
Canada |
245,120 |
6% |
Brazil |
164,014 |
116% |
Mexico |
154,246 |
35% |
Panama |
126,504 |
8% |
Germany |
66,985 |
35% |
Colombia |
64,920 |
2% |
Jamaica |
61,374 |
9% |
Bahamas |
57,082 |
11% |
Total, all markets |
11,623,546 |
10% |
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Visit Orlando Updates |
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Visit Orlando Talks Tourism with I-Drive Chamber
Visit Orlando President & CEO George Aguel talked tourism with more than 100 business leaders at the I-Drive Chamber of Commerce luncheon this week. He touted the destination's record breaking 62 million visitors announcement in New York City and the community-wide effort in hosting this year's U.S. Travel Association's IPW event. During his presentation, Aguel highlighted that the I-Drive corridor is home to approximately 40,000 hotel rooms-that's similar to the number of rooms in Virginia Beach/Norfolk, New Orleans, Seattle, Detroit, or Minneapolis/St. Paul, to name a few. He also noted that if Orange County's lodging industry was its own county, it would generate more state sales tax than 52 counties-$304.8 million to be exact.
2015 Magical Dining Website Launched
Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Month will take place from August 24-31 (preview week) and all of September in 2015. Diners can now take a look at what is on the special $33 menus of all 70+ restaurants to start planning their culinary adventures at OrlandoMagicalDining.com. One dollar from each meal will benefit Elevate Orlando.
Major U.K. Newspaper Highlights What's New in Orlando
As a result of hosting local writers Simon and Susan Veness during IPW, the publicity team secured an article in The Daily Telegraph, one of the U.K.'s largest newspapers, highlighting what's new and upcoming in Orlando.
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GOAA hosts Federal Reserve Economic Roundtable Discussion
On July 9, Visit Orlando COO Larry Henrichs joined other community leaders at an exclusive economic roundtable discussion hosted by Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) Chairman Frank Kruppenbacher and the GOAA board and held at the Hyatt Regency at Orlando International Airport. Arranged by Carolyn Fennell, board member and former chair of the Jacksonville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the discussion was led by Dr. David E. Altig - senior vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta - with an introduction by Chris Oakley, vice president and regional executive of the Jacksonville branch of the Atlanta Fed. Topics centered on changes in the economy, their impact on Central Florida and the region's economic challenges and
opportunities. Other attendees included Bill Davis, president and COO of Universal Orlando. Above, from left: Phillip Brown, GOAA executive director; Dr. David Altig; Frank Kruppenbacher; and Rick Weddle, president & CEO, Orlando Economic Development Commission
Destination Services Team Creates Excitement for 2017 Convention
As part of our marketing initiatives, a representative from Visit Orlando attended the Mennonite Church USA's National Convention in Kansas City, June 30-
July 5. Attendees who stopped by the booth were encouraged to take pictures with a fun Visit Orlando frame and post it via social media to create excitement for the 2017 convention, which will be held in Orlando over the week of 4th of July, and is expected to attract more than 6,000 attendees.
Visit Orlando Keeps Destination Top of Mind with ITA Group
Visit Orlando's Convention Sales team traveled to Des Moines to visit the ITA group, a third party that sources and plans all meetings for Sanofi Aventis pharmaceutical company. Orlando has already been selected for its cardiovascular meeting, which will be held at Hilton Bonnet Creek this year, and for more programs for 2016. Above, from left: Billy Walsh, Orlando World Center Marriott; Cynthia Morrell, Universal Parks and Events; Susan Zeiri, Visit Orlando; Tricia Tampir, Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld; and Eliana Key, Rosen Hotels
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News About Orlando |
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Next Week at the Convention Center
Group |
Meeting |
Start |
End |
Estimate Attendees |
Estimate Economic Impact |
Microsoft |
World Partner Conference |
July 13 |
July 16 |
15,000 |
$29,550,000 |
American Sportfishing Association |
ICAST |
July 15 |
July 17 |
11,000 |
$21,670,000 |
Florida Home Builders Association |
Southeast Builders Conference |
July 17 |
July 18 |
2,300 |
$4,531,000 |
Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors Association |
Annual Convention |
July 17 |
July 18 |
2,300 |
$4,531,000 |
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Disney, Universal Nab Theme Park Insider Awards
Universal Orlando and Disney World won five of the 11 categories in the 2015 edition of the annual Theme Park Insider awards. Four of those winners fell into the food and lodging category.
Save the Date: Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Month is Aug. 24-Sept. 30
Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Month is back (Aug. 24-Sept. 30) with more than 70 restaurants offering three-course dinners for $33 per person. For Central Florida foodies, it's a great time to try many of the top-notch local restaurants without busting the budget.
Del Frisco's to Hire 200 for I-Drive Restaurant Opening Next Month
Steakhouse chain Del Frisco's will make a sizzling return to the Orlando market with hundreds of new jobs coming to the tourist corridor.
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Iconic I-Drive McDonald's Revamp to Break Ground this Month
Construction work will begin next week on the corner of International Drive and Sand Lake Road to make way for the new state-of-the-art World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's.
I-4 Ultimate Overpass Build Closes City Road Near I-Drive
The partial closure of Grand National Drive is welcome news to some International Drive businesses and concerning to others.
Post Indicates Chef Art Restaurant Set for Disney Springs
Another celebrity chef could be moving into Downtown Disney, if a Facebook page under his name is to be believed.
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Industry News |
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Business Travel Spending to Rise Nearly 5 Percent in 2015, but "Erratic" Economic Drivers Limit Growth
U.S. business travel spending will increase by 4.9 percent in 2015 to $302.7 billion, yet ongoing concerns about the U.S. economy will rein-in what could be even sharper growth, according to new research from the GBTA Foundation and Visa.
DOJ Subpoenas Airlines over Keeping Ticket Prices High
The Justice Department has sent subpoenas to several major airlines as part of an investigation into "possible unlawful coordination" to limit capacity increases, and thereby keeping ticket prices high, a department spokeswoman said Wednesday.
US Travel to Get Economic Boost from LGBT Travelers
Out Now Global, a well-established Australian research consultancy on the subject of LGBT travel, is predicting enormous growth in LGBT travel to the United States due to the recent Supreme Court decision that established gay marriage as a fully legal right in the United States.
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Undercover Tourist Launches New Amusement Park App
Waiting in line at amusement parks can be a real headache for travelers, but the new and improved Undercover Tourist app is helping people make the most of their time.
Travel Industry Urges Inclusion of Brazil in Visa Waiver, Global Entry Programs
Expanding the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to Brazil would attract nearly 650,000 additional annual visitors to the United States and generate an additional $7.6 billion for the U.S. economy, bringing total international visitation and economic output to more than 3 million and $35.4 billion, respectively, in 2015, according to the U.S. Travel Association, which issued a statement urging President Barack Obama to discuss VWP expansion-as well as expansion of the Global Entry Program-during meetings this week with Brazil President Dilma Rousseff.
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