Once again, Orlando has been named America’s No. 1 meetings destination, according to Cvent, a global event management company that analyzed booking data from more than U.S. 5,000 cities.
We lead the pack for a variety of reasons – affordability, accessibility, quality and variety of facilities, positive brand awareness about Orlando – and, of course, our culture of service and hospitality.
Looking ahead, I’m encouraged that our elected officials continue to put a priority on expanding the Convention Center, a move that will help reinforce our leadership position in the convention industry in an increasingly competitive landscape.
George Aguel
President & CEO
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Hotel Growth Rates Lead Nation's Top 25 Markets
In June, Orlando's occupancy rate was 83.3 percent, up 6.1 percent from last year. Among the nation’s top 25 hotel markets, our region posted the fastest growth in occupancy (+6.1 percent), average daily rate (+10.2 percent) and revenue per available room (+16.9 percent). For the first half of 2018, all-time highs were established in room night demand, ADR and RevPAR.
VISIT ORLANDO ACTIVITIES
M&C
OCCC Hosts Largest Sportfishing Tradeshow
ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing tradeshow, was attended by more than 15,000 people from 71 countries July 10-13 at the Orange County Convention Center. The event, which featured more than 600 exhibitors, generated $30 million in economic impact.
PUBLICITY
Media Buzzing About Magical Dining Month
The buzz is starting around Magical Dining Month (Aug. 24-Sept. 30), thanks to the publicity team targeting state and national media outlets near and far, from the Orlando Sentinel to MSN.com. In all, the coverage has resulted in nearly 100 million impressions.
M&C
Orlando Dining Scene a Big Hit in Philadelphia
Our publicity team worked with The Philadelphia Inquirer – the top paper in a key market for Orlando – on a story about how some of “Orlando's best dining thrills are outside the parks.” The piece featured seven restaurants, covering everything from local cuisine at long-time favorites to new fare at more recently opened spots.
M&C
Meeting Planners Event Coming to Orlando in '20
Visit Orlando recently attended the Florida Society of Association Executives’ annual conference in Fort Lauderdale to network with more than 1,100 industry professionals and generate future business opportunities for our destination. Orlando will host the event in 2020.
Shareholders of 21st Century Fox and Disney voted today to approve Disney's $71.3 billion buyout of major Fox assets. The merger is expected to be completed in the first half of 2019. Read More
Orlando Theme Parks Top TripAdvisor Awards
Orlando continues to score high in TripAdvisor's Travelers’ Choice awards. Six area theme parks rank among the Top 10 Amusement Parks in the U.S., while the top 10 list of U.S. water parks also included three Orlando locations. Read More
Introducing the Rosen YMCA Aquatic Center
For more than 20 years, Orlando hotelier, philanthropist and avid swimmer Harris Rosen has supported the YMCA Aquatic Center, located on International Drive. On Tuesday, in honor of his dedication, the facility was renamed the Rosen YMCA Aquatic Center. Read More
For Family Vacations, Orlando a Top Bargain
Orlando ranks as the nation’s second-most affordable family destination, according to Money magazine. Thousands of data points were analyzed from hundreds of U.S. cities, including weather, overall visitation cost and the value provided by each city’s attractions. Read More
Disney Eliminating Plastic Straws by Mid-2019
The Walt Disney Company is set to eliminate single-use plastic straws and plastic stirrers at all its owned and operated locations across the globe by mid-2019, the company announced Thursday. This includes all parks with the exception of Disney Tokyo. Read More
VISIT ORLANDO EVENTS
Trendhunter.com CEO Jeremy Gutsche — an award-winning innovator, management consultant and New York Times bestselling author — will be the keynote speaker at one of our most popular annual events. Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, and Daryl Cronk, Visit Orlando’s director of research and insights, will discuss economic trends.