HOME | ARCHIVE
Visit Orlando - Tourism Matters
 
Join the Conversation
 
Lakeridge

Looking for the perfect gifts to let family and friends know what they're missing in Orlando? How about unique merchandise made in Orlando?

 

 
Visit Orlando Events
 

member orientation

June 21
Pop-Up Member Meet-Up Happy Hour

Experience the Starflyer, Orlando's latest thrill ride. Network with fellow members 450 feet up, or stay grounded and connect over cocktails in the Star Bar.
Location: Orlando Starflyer at ICON Orlando 360™
(8265 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819) Time: 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Visit Orlando members, $15; non-members, $25
Click here to register.

power hour

June 27
Power Hour Lunch

Connect with fellow members over lunch and hear an update from Diane Crews, president and CEO of Orlando Sanford International Airport.
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando East UCF Area
(12125 High Tech Ave., Orlando, FL 32817)
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Cost: Visit Orlando members, $30; non-members, $35
Click here to register.

member orientation

July 10
Member Orientation

Recommended for both new members and longtime Visit Orlando members to learn:
• How Visit Orlando markets the area as a convention, meetings and visitor destination.
• The benefits of membership.
• How to take advantage of the value-added services available exclusively to members.
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

Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort is offering Visit Orlando members the chance to come celebrate the resort's 10th birthday and receive 10 percent off. Book now or call 866-892-5890 and ask for the birthday celebration rate: ILXD7.

Balmoral Resort pool

Book your next vacation rental at Balmoral Resort and save 20 percent through May 31. Contemporary homes with private pools and spacious townhomes, just steps from the clubhouse. Click here or call 866-5-VILLAS.

OCS

Orlando City Soccer Club is extending a special offer to Visit Orlando members to all matches for the 2018 season. Click here to purchase tickets (link does not work in Internet Explorer). Use promo code VO.

Orlando Watersports Complex is offering half-price riding every Wednesday from 2 p.m. to close. For redemption, mention offer code VOM2M.

Jan12_TheEscapeGame

The Escape Game Orlando is offering 10 percent off all games for Visit Orlando members. Book online by using offer code VisitORL_member10.

Crystal River Watersports is offering a special $50 manatee swim tour for Visit Orlando members and their immediate family. Use offer code VO-MEM.

Visit Orlando members receive $5 off at Breakout Escape Rooms. Book your game by calling 407-778-4562 and mention promo code VISITORL5.

Experience the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and save up to 25 percent on tickets. The Buccaneers are offering all-inclusive, round-trip transportation and ticket packages that start at $75 per person. For more information, call 813-998-3871 or email centralflorida@buccaneers.nfl.com. Use offer code: VISITORL.

Paddlefish, named the Best Seafood Restaurant by Orlando Magazine readers, is offering Visit Orlando members a complimentary seafood appetizer for group events of 20 or more guests. In addition, no food and beverage minimum for private parties now through the end of June. Email paddlefishevents@levyrestaurants.com to reserve your next event.

Luxury of Time by Diamonds International is offering Visit Orlando members 10 percent off watches and 20 percent off in-house jewelry collections. Offer excludes Chopard jewelry and Mont Blanc accessories. In-store only. Mention "Visit Orlando member offers" to receive the discount.

Vincenzo Cucina Italiana is offering 20 percent off (food only) for Visit Orlando members. For redemption, simply mention the offer to your restaurant waiter. Cannot be combined with other offers.

Do you have an offer you would like to see posted? Submit an offer to Visit Orlando Member Relations here.

 
 
Industry Events
 

June 24-29
CAMP PINEAPPLE
Rosen College

 
 
Community Events
 

Saturdays
Parramore Farmers Market
Orlando City Stadium

Saturdays
Winter Park Farmers Market
Winter Park

Sundays
Orlando Farmers Market
Lake Eola Park

Second Thursday of Every Month
Thornton Park's Wine and Art Walk
Thornton Park District

June 16
Festival of the Sea
Festival Park

June 18-21
USTA All-American College Combine
USTA National Campus

May17_fireworks

July 3
Red Hot & Boom
Cranes Roost Park

July 4
Fireworks at the Fountain
Downtown Orlando

July 4
Winter Garden Party in the Park
Newton Park

July 16-22
USTA National 12s Clay Court Championships
USTA National Campus

July 28-Aug. 4
American Tennis Association National Championships
USTA National Campus

July 30-Aug. 4
National Veterans Wheelchair Games
Multiple Venues

 
 
Connect With Visit Orlando
 

Social Media

Follow us for stories on Orlando!

facebook

google plus

twitter

you tube

instagram

Download the free Visit Orlando App for your personalized Orlando experience. The best way to navigate Orlando.

App-store  Google-play

President & CEO's Message
 

June 15, 2018

Shining the Spotlight on Orlando

George Aguel

Now that we’ve picked up the confetti and had time to reflect on Orlando’s record-breaking achievement of 72 million visitors in 2017, I’d like to share some of the tremendous publicity our destination received.

 

More than 1,200 stories across print, digital and broadcast media spread the word that Orlando was, once again, America’s most-visited destination. Coverage extended from major outlets in the United States … to our top international markets of Canada, the United Kingdom and Brazil … to emerging markets in Asia and the Middle East.

 

Overall, our visitation announcement generated 1.21 billion impressions across traditional and social media, which equates to being in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today every day for more than a year!

 

This incredible exposure not only keeps Orlando top of mind for future leisure and business travel, it also helps underpin the widespread financial impact that tourism brings to every corner of Central Florida.

 

Indeed, the Orlando brand continues to grow stronger. And Visit Orlando is proud to share that message on a global scale on behalf of our entire community.

-- George Aguel

 
back to top
 
From the Research & Insights Desk of Visit Orlando
 
Summer Hotel Bookings Ahead of Prior Year

Advance hotel bookings for summer 2018 in Orlando (June-August) are up 2.4 percent compared to this time last year. Transient bookings -- accounting for 60 percent of total bookings in the latest data from Travelclick -- are on par (+0.2 percent) with prior-year levels, and group bookings are up nearly 6 percent over last year. The data on group room bookings is echoed in citywide attendance this summer at the Orange County Convention Center, which is also projected to be up 6 percent versus summer 2017.

 
back to top
 
Visit Orlando Updates
 

megacon

PR Campaign Receives National Award

Visit Orlando's public relations team received an Award of Excellence for the organization's 2017 "Orlando's BIG Thank You" campaign. The award was presented last week by the Public Relations Society of America at its annual awards competition. The campaign, which also won a Guinness World Record for most hand-written thank you cards collected in 24 hours, was recognized for creating a personal and emotional connection. The Silver Anvil Awards, celebrated as the Oscars of the communications industry, recognize the best public relations campaigns of the year and the highest standards of performance for the profession.

Roberta

"Where's Roberta"
Films in Orlando

Visit Orlando worked with Orlando International Airport, Oakland (Calif.) International Airport and producers of the "Where's Roberta" show to create a 30-minute travel segment all about Orlando. Airing on San Francisco's KPIX/CBS in July, the special is the result of the first-ever non-stop Southwest Airlines flight between Oakland and Orlando. The show will highlight everything our destination has to offer, including theme parks, outdoor adventures, shopping, dining, cool resort pools, exciting new attractions and more.

Wanderlust

Winter Park Profiled in Wonderlust Magazine

Visit Orlando's public relations team secured a travel profile on Winter Park in the new Wonderlust travel magazine. The article, Find Your Florida, highlights Winter Park's history, as well as the Alfond Inn, Rollins College and dining on Park Avenue.

Himss

HIMSS Holds Diamond Summit in Orlando

Sixty-five corporate Diamond members from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) were in Orlando this week for the HIMSS Diamond Summit. HIMSS will hold its annual convention at the Orange County Convention Center in February 2019; some 40,000 attendees are expected.

Base camp

Magical Dining Making Impact at BASE Camp

BASE Camp Children's Cancer Foundation is increasing its impact in the community thanks to Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Month. Since receiving our record donation, BASE Camp has awarded several Second Wishes to children with a recurrence of cancer, as well as enhanced its Parent's Night Out program and provided additional "kid's choice" lunches at local hospitals. Read more on our corporate blog.

 

May31_CFNews13-George-Aguel

Showcasing Orlando in Our Nation's Capital

Visit Orlando's meetings and convention team recently joined 16 member companies to host a client event at Nike Georgetown. There were 60 key clients in attendance from groups such as: the National Association of Home Builders, IAAPA, American Pharmacists, Helicopter Association International, and United Fresh. Our members interacted with clients as they participated in a networking game with a health and fitness theme. Nike athletes were on hand to share current trends, health and fitness consulting, and new products.

SAP

21K Attend SAP's
Annual Conference

SAP, a German-based European multinational software corporation, hosted its SAPPHIRE NOW and ASUG Annual Conference at the Orange County Convention Center this week, bringing 21,000-plus attendees from more than 90 countries. OCCC's North and South halls featured six miles of truss and framework, including more than 1,000 LED tiles and 7,500 square feet of LED video surface. SAP will return to Orlando in 2019.

MPI

Building Relationships with Meeting Planners

Visit Orlando recently attended the Meeting Professionals International's (MPI) World Education Conference in Indianapolis. The tradeshow, which drew more than 2,300 attendees, allowed us to meet with key event planners through one-on-one appointments, networking events and educational seminars. The World Education Congress is MPI's signature event.

NSC

Safety Council Coming to Orlando October 2021

Representatives from the National Safety Council -- a nonprofit organization and the nation's leading safety advocate -- recently visited several area hotels in preparation for the NSC's Congress & Expo in October 2021 at the Orange County Convention Center. The event is expected to draw more than 15,000 attendees from 63 countries.

Novartis

Maritz Planners Experience Orlando

Visit Orlando and its members hosted meeting planners and key leaders from Maritz Novartis -- a leading event management company that executes more than 800 meetings per year -- for an educational weekend in Orlando. The team visited dining and entertainment venues across the destination and saw first-hand the new experiences at Universal, Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom.

 
back to top
 
News About Orlando
 

At the Center

Group Meeting Start End Estimated Attendees Estimated Economic Impact
AAU AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2018 June 17 June 28 83,000 $81,755,000
American Diabetes Association American Diabetes Association 78th Scientific Sessions 2018 June 23 June 25 16,000 $31,520,000
American Physical Therapy Association American Physical Therapy Association House of Delegates with NEXT 2018 June 27 June 29 2,000 $3,940,000
Franchise Services Inc. (FSI) Franchise Services Inc. (FSI) 2018 June 28 June 29 350 $689,500
Youth Basketball of America, Inc. Youth Basketball of America 2018 July 1 July 14 7,000 $6,895,000
 

Spirit Expands at MCO, Adds Int’l Destinations

Starting Oct. 4, Spirit will begin offering international service from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to 11 new destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as three more domestic routes rolling out through the fall. The announcement marks one of the largest expansions in the airline’s history and includes service to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Read More

Rosen Recognized for Innovative Healthcare

Rosen Hotels & Resorts and owner Harris Rosen, Florida's largest independent hotelier and company founder, recently won three awards at the recent World Heath Care Congress in Washington, D.C. The company's innovative self-funded healthcare program was recognized with three 2018 Health Value Awards for providing benefits at a cost-savings of $340 million.

Read More

 

Orlando, London Top
July 4 Destinations

CheapOair, a flight-focused hybrid travel agency, announced its top 10 domestic and international destinations for 2018's Fourth of July holiday. Of the 25 most-booked cities over the holiday week, 19 are within the United States. Orlando comes in as the No. 1 most-booked destination, followed by Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Read More

Loews Unveils Jurassic World Kids’ Suites

The Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal unveiled its Jurassic World Kids' Suites this week. The beds are made to look like the gyrosphere ride in "Jurassic World," and the carpet mimics the valley map with trail markings.

Read More

 
back to top
 
Industry News
 

Record 33.2M Visitors Came to FL in Q1 2018

Florida welcomed a record 33.2 million visitors in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of 7.4 percent over the same period in 2017. An estimated 20.1 million were domestic visitors, an 8.5 percent increase. Canadian visitation increased by 2.5 percent.

Read More

45% of Vacationers to Visit Theme Parks

Almost half of summer vacationers (45 percent) plan to visit a theme park this year, according to a recent AAA Consumer Pulse survey. The organization also cited that North American theme parks drew 146 million visits in 2015.

Read More

Uber Unveils New
Safety Initiatives

Uber has revealed a new 911 in-app calling feature that notifies authorities of a vehicle’s location. The move is part of an effort to increase safety for consumers and employees.

Read More

 

Record Occupancy and ADR Predicted

According to a revised forecast by STR and Tourism Economics, the U.S. hotel industry is expected to continue posting record-breaking performance levels through 2019. The forecast projects a 0.1 percent occupancy increase to 66.2 percent, a 2.3 percent rise in average daily rate to $132.74 and a 2.4 percent increase in revenue per available room to $87.93.

Read More

These Eight Trends Are Shaping Travel

A report released by the global marketing firm Edelman lists the top cultural forces impacting how consumers are thinking about and planning travel this year. Some of the more intriguing include "defiance tourism," "escape tourism" and "the joy of missing out."

Read More

W Hotels Focuses on LGBTQ Travel

W Hotels is rolling out a series of curated travel guides for LGBTQ+ travelers around the world. In collaboration with next-generation community platform them!, the guides are designed to celebrate the unique qualities of each hotel location. The brand is also planning to take its popular speaker series to six global destinations in 2018, following a successful U.S. debut in 2017.

Read More

 
back to top
 
 
Tourism Ambassadors
 
Academy Sports ARDA Bags Balmoral Resort BB&T
Clear Channel Outdoor Darden Florida Hospital The Florida Mall Hertz
IOA The Mall at Millenia Orlando Economic Partnership Orlando Health Orlando International Airport
Orlando Magic OUC Orlando Sanford Airport Patina Restaurant Group Pegasus Transportation
Smart City Sullivan Benefits Tupperware Brands Wells Fargo
 
back to top