As Florida moves into Phase III of reopening, it's highly important that we recognize how our local region's careful, deliberate actions have helped Orlando safely reopen to visitors these past few months, supporting our economy and helping thousands of residents resume work.
Despite the lessening of restrictions recently announced by the state, I am heartened to see our county and city leadership, as well as local businesses, maintaining the proactive health measures that have helped benefit our destination so far. But, we cannot be successful in bringing back our economy if all of our tourism members do not stay strong and consistent. Our visitors must know they can count on us to welcome them with a very safe environment.
We will continue our efforts to encourage the confidence of the consumer to visit our destination. We at Visit Orlando are communicating our local region's extraordinary emphasis on safety, such as this recent positive feature in Forbes our team secured. Please give it a read – it's a great example of sharing how our safety measures, appealing products, and affordable deals make Orlando an attractive destination to visit right now.
It is crucial we keep our safety momentum heading in a positive direction. Consumers favor visiting destinations that require usage of face masks, and research shows that travelers consider the safety behavior of locals before they make a decision to visit. On a more individual level for your business, 8 in 10 consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company that requires face masks for both customers and employees.
We are here to support your efforts. I encourage you to utilize the communication tools available at DoYourPartORL.com, and take the pledge that your business is committed to safety. If we all do our part, we'll be Safer, Stronger, Together.
Is Your Name Orlando? We've teamed up with low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines to make it easier than ever for consumers who #LoveOrlando to visit the country's favorite vacation destination. Individuals with 'Orlando' as their first or last name can fly for free to Orlando in October. Additionally, if your name isn't Orlando, you can still win by entering the #LoveOrlando sweepstakes or by taking advantage of flights from $39.
Meeting Safely Today: There are positive signs of recovery on the horizon, from an encouraging 2021 calendar at the Orange County Convention Center to the fact that Orlando has shown the world we can hold safe, successful, large-scale events. Our destination's leadership in this area is a message we are promoting in a big way at Visit Orlando. And, as this new video shows, our industry is united behind prioritizing guest safety and welcoming back in-person events. Working together, we are "meeting safely today for a stronger tomorrow."
Magical Dining Publicity: Since last week's announcement that we extended Visit Orlando's Magical Dining through Oct. 31, our PR team has worked with several media outlets and food bloggers to spread the good news. The program has been promoted in multiple segments on local TV stations, Yahoo News, the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Date Night Guide,Edible Orlando, Scott Joseph Orlando, Bungalower and more. Check out menus and make your reservations here for a $35, three-course meal at dozens of Orlando's finest restaurants.
RESTAURANT TESTIMONIAL
"Visit Orlando's Magical Dining is by far the most impactful marketing program we participate in annually … The program is not only enabling us to provide a great value to our guests, but it also is generating additional jobs and wages for our employees and much needed financial relief for our business."
Fred Thimm, owner, Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen + Bar
Fall in Love with Orlando: With smaller crowds, cooler temperatures and an array of special events, autumn is one of the best times to experience everything Orlando has to offer. From food festivals to Halloween haunts to immersive cultural celebrations, our marketing and publicity teams are pushing the message in regional drive markets that "October is the perfect time to visit Orlando." Remember to share your favorite experiences on social media using #LoveOrlando.
Hotel Metrics: Metro Orlando's occupancy rate for the week ending Sept. 26 was 31.9%, up from 29.9% the previous week. Average daily rate fell $0.54 to $78.60. Occupancy on Friday and Saturday nights (46.9%) continued the trend of significantly outperforming the rest of the week (25.9%).
