Travel Weekly UK names Visit Orlando "Best Tourist Board" in the world.
To view past issues of Tourism Matters, click here.
Tourism Matters ®
Visit Orlando

January 17, 2020

Hello,

Visit Orlando is always working hard to represent our destination on the global stage, to both consumers and meeting groups. With that in mind, I have some big news to share …

Globe Travel Award

Visit Orlando Named 'Best Tourist Board' in the World 

I am thrilled to report that, during a ceremony last night in London, Visit Orlando was recognized by Travel Weekly UK, a leading travel industry publication, as the "Best Tourist Board" in the world. The magazine's Globe Travel Awards are widely acknowledged as the pinnacle of the United Kingdom travel industry, honoring companies and individuals across the global tourism landscape. Voted on by UK travel agents, this well-deserved award is a great tribute to our team's standout campaigns, productive partnerships and strategic focus in driving visitation from our top overseas market. We are honored to be voted as the best in the world at what we do, and by experts who know our industry so well.

Promoting Orlando at Global PCMA Event

Our convention team joined more than 5,000 meeting professionals from around the world Jan. 5-8 in San Francisco for Convening Leaders, an annual tradeshow by the Professional Convention Management Association. Along with the Orange County Convention Center, we presented to top meeting planners at a hosted luncheon and on the main general session stage. Events like PCMA help us recruit a variety of conventions that generate significant economic impact for Orlando.

Tourism Fueling Major Growth at Our Airports

As we continue to celebrate Orlando International Airport surpassing 50 million annual passengers, did you know that tourists to our destination account for about 70% of that traffic? OIA and Sanford International Airport are hard at work to keep pace with record visitation to Orlando. In this month's edition of i4 Business magazine, we look at how expansion at both airports will elevate the visitor experience and keep tourism, our region's leading industry, running strong.

Mayor Dyer, City Commissioners Sworn into Office

I'd like to congratulate Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and city commissioners Tony Ortiz, Patty Sheehan and Bakari Burns, who were sworn into office Monday. Since 2003, Mayor Dyer has championed many projects that have elevated the brand of our city, including construction of the Amway Center and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, as well as improvements to Camping World Stadium.

IN MEMORY

This week we mourned the passing of John H. Graham IV, president and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). John was not only an industry icon, but also a good friend of many years. I had the pleasure of serving alongside him on the ASAE board and collaborating on many industry initiatives. His vision and transformative leadership will be greatly missed by thousands of association and convention professionals in more than a dozen management disciplines, from tourism to finance to technology. On behalf of Visit Orlando and our 1,200 member companies, we extend our deepest sympathies to John's family, friends and associates at ASAE.

OTHER NEWS FROM VISIT ORLANDO

» Next week, the Orange County Convention Center will host one of its largest annual events when the PGA Merchandise Show returns with more than 43,000 attendees. The event, which runs Jan. 21-24, is booked by Visit Orlando and expected to generate over $110 million in economic impact.

» Our public relations team generated an Orlando feature story in Hello UK!, a top weekly magazine, as the result of a destination orientation. The story highlights family-friendly Orlando, from theme parks and beyond, during a key booking period.

» Daryl Cronk, our senior director of market research, discussed tourism trends this week with the Greater Orlando Builders Association. He was part of a three-person panel that drew more than 100 industry leaders.

THIS WEEK ON THE BLOG

Cooler months make Orlando's great outdoors even greater, and we're giving visitors tips on how they can explore our many ecotourism opportunities.

ALSO MAKING HEADLINES

George Aguel
All the best.

George Aguel
President & CEO
Connect with Visit Orlando
Official tourism association of the No. 1 destination in the U.S.
Facebook  
Twitter  
Instagram  
YouTube  
     
©2020 Visit Orlando | All Rights Reserved.