As a destination home to seven of the world’s top theme parks, over 100 standalone attractions, more than 480 hotels and countless other experiences, Orlando is filled with unique stories to tell.
To complement our advertising campaigns, the team at Visit Orlando works closely with the media and influencers to secure valuable third-party endorsements for our destination. We also engage with strategic partners to elevate our messaging and reach new audiences.
For example, our public relations team secured a story recently published in Forbes highlighting Orlando beyond the parks. Outdoor adventures at Wild Florida, Downtown Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, dining venues across the destination and the new Lake Nona Wave Hotel were featured.
Similarly, a syndicated Tribune Content article spotlighted free and low-cost things to do and mentioned the Wellsbuilt Museum and the Lake Nona Sculpture Garden. The article ran in more than a dozen media outlets including MSN. While internationally, the UK’s The Sun published this story about the best free attractions in Orlando — which also ran in multiple outlets.
In addition, key partnerships include our collaboration with Tripadvisor using Amazon Alexa's technology that allows travelers to discover the wonders of Orlando just by saying: “Alexa, launch Visit Orlando” and the Rediscover Orlando campaign with Frontier Airlines to help boost summer travel to Orlando. The co-branded digital campaign will run nationally with digital display, social, web and email for an estimated 22 million impressions.
With initiatives like these ongoing, your Visit Orlando team is doing our part to keep Orlando top of mind and in the news, leading through innovation and striving towards generating greater visitation for our destination.
Plan to Attend Visit Orlando’s Signature Luncheon
Save the date! Visit Orlando’s Insights Luncheon & Economic Forum, Aug. 23 at Hilton Orlando, is drawing near. Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO at Sage Policy Group, and Visit Orlando’s director of market research and insights, Maria Henson, are speaking at the morning session, sharing economic insights and forecasts. Raven Solomon, global diversity, equity, and inclusion thought leader and keynote speaker at the luncheon, will share how to be an inclusive leader and provide necessary steps to better attract and retain the future of the workforce through an often-overlooked lens. Register here and email Kelly Kinney for details.
Make Reservations for Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining
Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining returns Aug. 26 through Oct. 2 with more than 100 restaurants offering three-course, prix-fixe dinner menus for $40. Out of the full selection of dining venues, six were recently recognized by the MICHELIN Guide and 16 are new to the program. For additional information, menu options and hotels offering special deals through Visit Orlando’s Magical Nights, visit OrlandoMagicalDining.com. Additional menus and hotel deals will be added soon. Also, this new feature is available for diners to create, save and share hand-picked favorite items.
Visit Orlando Board Member Recognized by OBJ
Congratulations to Terry Prather, chief operating officer at LIFT Orlando, for being honored along with 20 individuals in Orlando’s C-Suite Awards. We are appreciative of your commitment to our industry and the Central Florida community.
Hotel Metrics
For the week ending July 23, 2022, Metro Orlando occupancy was 81.8%, up almost five percentage points from last week’s 76.9%, and almost two points from the same week in 2019 (80.1%). Demand grew 12% from last year and improved 6% from 2019.
Average daily rate rose to $145.23 from $142.22 last week and up significantly from the same week in 2019 ($114.15).
Around the Destination
Preparedness Roundtable: Hosted by U.S. Rep. Val Demings, I was honored to participate in a disaster preparedness roundtable discussion with Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, and several of our local government officials. Secretary Mayorkas has been a strong supporter of the travel industry and our destination is privileged to have an extraordinary infrastructure of major public and private entities continuing to work together to protect the health and safety of residents and visitors alike.
During the roundtable, we had the opportunity to talk about the workforce, current challenges and short-term solutions regarding H-2B visas and expanding the Visa Waiver Program for countries such as Brazil. Learn more here.
Executive Client Advisory Committee: Visit Orlando team members presented to top citywide clients at the Orange County Convention Center’s Executive Client Advisory Committee. Mike Waterman, chief sales officer, provided the welcome and an overview of our destination; Maria Henson was a panelist on the state of the industry; and Ishma Haider, convention marketing director, shared the marketing and conventions update. There was also a celebration of Yulita Osuba and her many accomplishments as deputy director at OCCC as she will be retiring next month.
Florida Cup: Visit Orlando team members watched English Premiere League teams, Arsenal and Chelsea, face off during the Florida Cup. More than 63,000 attended Camping World Stadium to experience the packed, fun sporting event.
American Resort Development Association: Mike Waterman joined Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings, Laureen Martinez, VP of marketing at Orlando Economic Partnership, and Jason Siegel, president and CEO at the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, as panelists for the American Resort Development Association VIP Summer Forum. The panel discussion focused on how Orlando has led the way in the return of leisure and business travel and the outlook going forward. It was awesome to work with our partners welcoming leaders in the timeshare community to showcase Orlando and provide an update on what’s coming in the future.
Kidd Kraddick Morning Show: In partnership with VISIT FLORIDA and Hilton Orlando, our destination was home to the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, a national show heard on over 70 radio stations across the country and one of the most-listened-to shows for nearly three decades. It was a great experience to be interviewed and discuss what’s new at our destination in this full interview segment.
