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

Love art AND value? So does Visit Orlando's social media team, and they discovered both at free galleries and museums all over town.

 

 
Visit Orlando Events
 

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 orientation

July 12
Member Meet-Up Happy Hour

ICEBAR Orlando
Escape the summer heat and enjoy cocktails and networking on ice. If it gets too cool, you can warm up with fellow members in the Fire Lounge.
Time: 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Visit Orlando members, $20; non-members, $25 (pre-registration before July 12)
Click here to register.

power hour

July 18
Power Hour Lunch

Terralina Crafted Italian
Be among the first to experience Disney Springs' newest restaurant, Terralina Crafted Italian. Share your 10-second elevator speech and connect with fellow members over lunch featuring entrees by James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Mantuano.
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Cost: Visit Orlando members, $30; non-members, $35
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.

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.

Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel is offering complimentary upgrade to club level for all Visit Orlando members through Dec. 31, 2019. Book a standard guest room at www.RenaissanceOrlandoAP.com and email jessica.sherbert@renaissancehotels.com for their complimentary upgrade. Offer is subject to availability at the time of request.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is offering Visit Orlando members a special discount on rentals nationwide. Members will enjoy the benefits of convenient locations, faster reservations and special pricing on every rental. For offer redemption, click here.

Visit Orlando members receive 20 percent off a standard rate when staying two nights or more at Comfort Inn Orlando - Lake Buena Vista. Book online using code: LVORL. Offer expires Dec. 30.

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

 
 
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

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 5
1st Thursdays - Open Call
Orlando Museum of Art

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

August 2
1st Thursdays - Nuestra Historia
Orlando Museum of Art

 
 
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 28, 2018

Orlando's a Hot Ticket this Summer

George Aguel

Summer is off to a great start, and the travel forecast indicates it's about to heat up even more.

As you'll read below, Orlando is the nation's top destination for Fourth of July travel, according to AAA. And as a nice one-two punch, showing consumers we are not only popular but also a great value, Orlando was just named the most affordable travel destination in the U.S. by financial technology company SmartAsset.

Further signs that Orlando is the place to be this summer include year-over-year increases in advance hotel bookings, international airline bookings and projected citywide attendance at the Orange County Convention Center.

Throughout our destination, exciting new attractions are driving visitation and giving people reasons to come back for more: Fast & Furious - Supercharged recently rolled out at Universal, the Orlando StarFlyer is towering over International Drive, Toy Story Land opens Saturday at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Infinity Falls will debut soon at SeaWorld.

With so much to experience at every turn, it's no wonder we're such a hot ticket this summer!

-- George Aguel

 
back to top
 
From the Research & Insights Desk of Visit Orlando
 
Hotel Occupancy Leads State, U.S. Averages

The average hotel occupancy rate in Orlando for May was 74.6 percent, higher than the state (70.9 percent) and the nation (68.2 percent). However, the occupancy rate was down 3.4 percent when compared to May of last year. Room night demand was down 1.3 percent in May, with the rest of the decline in occupancy due to a 2.2 percent increase in the room night supply. The average daily rate was up 3.9 percent versus last May, pushing revenue per available room up 0.4 percent. Year to date, the occupancy rate is on par with last year at 81.4 percent, the average daily rate is up 5.5 percent, and RevPAR is up 5.7 percent.

 
back to top
 
Visit Orlando Updates
 

Jun28_virgula

Top Brazilian Media
Experience Orlando

Visit Orlando's public relations team welcomed several Brazilian media to Orlando to highlight the destination's diversity in attractions, activities and dining. Entertainment outlet Vírgula and travel magazine Viajar Pelo Mundo were represented, along with digital influencer Estevam Pelo Mundo . Combined, their Orlando coverage has generated more than 11 million impressions in news articles, blogs, videos and social posts.

June28_Premier

Beauty Show Attracts
58K Attendees to OCCC

More than 58,600 beauty professionals from nearly four dozen countries flocked to Orlando June 3-4 for the largest beauty show in the United States. Premiere Orlando, which serves as an epicenter for all things salon and spa, boasts the largest exhibit floor in the industry, featuring more than 800 exhibitors. The show will return to the Orange County Convention Center in June 2019.

June28_CISCO

25K Attend Cisco's
Annual Conference

Cisco, the worldwide leader in IT and networking, welcomed more than 25,000 IT and communications professionals from around the world to its annual conference June 10-14 at the Orange County Convention Center. CiscoLIVE! featured a range of activities from technical education and networking opportunities to future-focused thought leadership and one-on-one meetings with experts. The conferene will return to Orlando in 2022.

June28_usatoday

USA Today Features 10
Affordable Dining Spots

Visit Orlando's public relations team worked with a journalist from USA Today during his stay in Orlando, helping him with an article titled "10 tastes of Orlando for less than $10." The piece included local favorites in the downtown area such as Gideon's Bakehouse at East End Market, Se7en Bites and Pig Floyd's.

 

June28_airboat

Lifetime TV Films
in Orlando

Visit Orlando's marketing team worked with Lifetime TV morning show "The Balancing Act" on a five-minute piece called "Creating Memorable Moments with Your Kids." The segment, which airs July 16 at 7:30 a.m., will feature fun things to do with your family outside the theme parks. Host Christina Nicholson and her family experienced the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Wild Florida Airboats and Wildlife Park, ICON Orlando, Buena Vista Watersports, and Maria and Enzo's Ristorante.

June28_ICON

Canada's YTV Highlights
Adventures, Attractions

Visit Orlando's marketing team worked with Canada's YTV to create a series of vignettes that will air in September on "Big Fun Movies," a TV lineup featuring popular blockbuster movies every Friday and Saturday night. These segments will feature two show hosts highlighting Orlando's outdoor adventures, new attractions and more.

June28_PCMA

Orlando Represented
at PCMA Conference

Visit Orlando, along with more than 800 fellow meeting professionals, recently participated in the PCMA Education Conference in Cleveland. The meeting, composed of educational sessions and networking opportunities, focused on how business events work in tandem with organizational goals and objectives. The conference provided Visit Orlando and participating members the opportunity to host one-on-one meetings with key planners.

June28_AAU

Spike! 85K Attending
AAU Girls Jr. Volleyball

The AAU Girls Junior Volleyball Championships are being held at the Orange County Convention Center this week, with approximately 85,000 people in attendance. The event has been held at the convention center since 2016 and will return each year through 2020.

 
back to top
 
News About Orlando
 

At the Center

Group Meeting Start End Estimated Attendees Estimated Economic Impact
Youth Basketball of America, Inc. Youth Basketball of America 2018 July 1 July 14 7,000 $6,895,000
Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention 2018 July 3 July 7 10,000 $19,700,000
ONE National Dance Finals Inc. ONE National Dance Finals July 9 July 14 600 $591,000
American Sportfishing Association ICAST 2018 July 11 July 13 15,000 $29,550,000
Florida United Numismatists Inc. Summer FUN 2018 July 12 July 14 5,000 $9,850,000
 

Orlando Top Destination
for Fourth of July Travel

A record-breaking 46.9 million Americans (up 5.3 percent from last year) are expected to travel over the Independence Day holiday, and once again Orlando is the No. 1 domestic destination, according to a report released Thursday by travel club AAA

Read More

Orlando a Favorite
Sports Destination

Sports Destination Management, a leading publication in the sports tourism market, has awarded Orlando two of its 2018 Readers Choice Awards. With a perfect variety of sports, entertainment and state-of-the art venues, Orlando was named "Favorite Destination for Amenities." In addition, ESPN World Wide of Sports Complex was awarded "Favorite Outdoor Venue" for hosting more than 100 events annually.

Read More

NFL Pro Bowl
Returning in 2019

The NFL announced Orlando will host the 2019 Pro Bowl, keeping the all-star game at Camping World Stadium for another year. The league picked up the third-year option on the agreement with Orlando officials. In addition to the game, several Pro Bowl-related events are traditionally held at ESPN's Wide World of Sports and other venues throughout Central Florida.

Read More

Calling All Artists:
Sculpture on the Lawn

Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs is calling all artists, including student and emerging artists, to submit work for the fourth annual Sculpture on the Lawn exhibition. The outdoor display will be featured at the entrance of the Orange County Administration Center (201 S. Rosalind Ave.), a location visible to approximately 10,000 people daily.

Read More

Hall of Heroes Opens
at Science Center

The Orlando Science Center has opened "Hall of Heroes," an interactive exhibit featuring a display of superheroes, crime fighters and gadgets. The exhibit educates patrons on the five disciplines that are the basis for all superpowers: "Powers of the Body," "Powers of the Mind," "Mastery," "Gadgets" and "The Elements." Guests can experience the new display through Sept. 3.

Read More

 

Most Affordable
Travel Destination

Financial technology company SmartAsset recently unveiled its most affordable U.S. destinations, and Orlando came in at No. 1. The list was developed by estimating the costs of a vacation for a family of four and for an individual, taking into consideration hotels, flights, car rentals and meals.

Read More

Nation's First Biometric
Program Lands at OIA

U.S. Customs and Border Protection was in Orlando last week to celebrate new facial-recognition technology that will make the screening process more efficient and wait times shorter. Orlando International Airport is the nation's first to fully implement facial-recognition screening for all outbound and inbound international flights.

Read More

World Cup Coming
to U.S. in 2026

FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, awarded hosting rights to the 2026 World Cup to a combined bid from the United States, Mexico and Canada. The three countries will bring the tournament to North America for the first time since 1994. Orlando is one of the U.S. cities that could host games.

Read More

Downtown Info Center
Relocates Temporarily

The Downtown Orlando Information Center is undergoing renovations to better serve the people who live, work and visit the area. Starting July 10, the Information Center will temporarily relocate to CityArts Factory at 29 S. Orange Ave.

Read More

Pirates Dinner Adventure
Opening Again July 4

Pirates Dinner Adventure is re-opening July 4 after closing due to damage from Hurricane Irma and a fire. The interactive dinner and entertainment venue plans to hire 200 workers.

Read More

 
back to top
 
Industry News
 

Growing Segment:
Adventure Travel 

Adventure travel is a lucrative and growing segment, according to survey results released by the Travel Leaders Network. In 2009, it was an $89 billion industry, but by 2017 that number had mushroomed to $683 billion. About 30 percent of global tourism spending is in adventure travel.

Read More

 

Hotel Industry Reports
Positive Results in May

The U.S. hotel industry reported positive results in three key performance metrics in May: occupancy increased 0.7 percent to 68.2 percent, average daily rate grew 2.6 percent to $129.90 and revenue per available room increased 3.3 percent to $88.59. May marked the 99th consecutive month of year-over-year RevPAR growth for U.S. hotels.

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