Jan. 6, 2017

Tops in Visitor Satisfaction

As many of us returned to work this week, we found much to be excited about in the New Year. As we move into 2017, Orlando will welcome a host of thrilling ventures from new attractions including Pandora - The World of Avatar and Universal's Volcano Bay to major sporting events such as the upcoming NFL Pro Bowl.
 
With so many visitors on the horizon, ensuring we provide the most welcoming experience is even more important. Recently J.D. Power ranked Orlando the "Highest in Visitor Satisfaction in the South" in its J.D. Power Destination Experience Satisfaction Study. The award from the leader in measuring customer satisfaction specifically pointed to our destination's infrastructure and activities -- showing what we've known all along, that Orlando is an easy and convenient vacation and meeting destination with plenty of exciting experiences for everyone. This high praise will stand to reinforce the likelihood of stronger future visitation. As a source of buying information for the nation, consumers are 75 percent more likely to consider purchasing a brand recognized by J.D. Power. This testifies that our destination is a highly-valued experience for consumers and provides countless reasons for guests to visit again and again.
 
As you begin 2017, I hope that you were able to enjoy a peaceful and joyous holiday season. It is your hard work and commitment that was responsible for the overwhelming success of our destination this past year and will surely make the days to come even better. Happy New Year!

-George Aguel

This week, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) officially opened the doors of the USTA National Campus located in Lake Nona. The model tennis facility, featuring 100 courts, will serve as the new Home of American Tennis, by combining all USTA participation programs and USTA Player Development in a central location for the first time. The groundbreaking, state-of-the art complex is designed to enhance the sport at every level and create an unparalleled playing, training, coaching and educational experience for recreational players, competitive players, coaches and spectators. For more information, visit ustanationalcampus.com or call 407-675-2500. Visit Orlando is proud to be the Official Concierge of the USTA National Campus providing guest information, reservations and attraction tickets.

Industry Employment Increases 8% in November

The Orlando MSA continued to experience robust employment growth in November with total nonagricultural employment growing by 53,100 jobs, 4.5 percent higher than November 2015. Orlando's Leisure and Hospitality Industry added 19,500 jobs versus November 2015, an 8 percent increase. The industry's 262,700 jobs accounted for 21 percent of total nonagricultural employment in the Orlando MSA during November. The industry's 8 percent year-over-year increase outpaced the 4.5 percent increase in total MSA employment, and the industry accounted for more than one-third (36.7 percent) of jobs added over the past 12 months.

Florida Cup Begins Sunday

Visit Orlando is proud to support the 2017 Florida Cup as the best soccer players in the world represent their clubs and their nations as Europe and South America compete over two weeks in a series of matches. Orlando matches will take place Jan. 8-21 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex as well as at UCF's Bright House Networks Stadium. For complete information, go to FloridaCup.com.

New York Times Highlights Theme Parks

Thanks to Visit Orlando's What's New for 2017 outreach, New York Times online (78 million unique monthly visitors) highlighted what's new at Orlando's theme parks in an article published this week about travel changes in 2017. Specifically, it mentions LEGOLAND Florida's Ninjago, SeaWorld Orlando's newest activities, Universal Orlando Resort's Volcano Bay and Walt Disney World Resort's Pandora at Animal Kingdom. The story is also scheduled to appear in the print version Jan. 8.

Estilo DF Features Orlando's Entertainment Value

As a result of a Visit Orlando press trip last February, the "Orlando, Tourism Capital of the World" article in the December issue of Mexico's Estilo DF (circ. 500,000) features Orlando's entertainment value. The article highlights the well-known worldwide appeal to the area theme parks; the up-and-coming cultural and culinary side of the city including the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Winter Park's Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art and Mango's Tropical Cafe; and some of the destination's new attractions at I-Drive 360 such as The Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and Skeletons: Animals Unveiled. The special edition of the magazine, which also mentioned some fun facts about the city, presents Orlando as the most-visited destination in the United States due to its continued growth of activities for visitors of all ages, multiple backgrounds and different interests, plus a favorable climate year-round.

Delta's Sky Profiles Orlando Neighborhood

Delta's inflight magazine Sky (circ. 601,937) profiled one of Orlando's emerging local neighborhoods, the Mills 50 district, in its January issue. The story is a result of Visit Orlando's Public Relations Team's efforts.

Delegation Attends Holiday Showcase

Visit Orlando's Convention Sales Team, along with several members, exhibited at the annual Holiday Showcase®, held in Chicago in December. The event is widely considered the industry's best and most highly attended one-day exhibition for the Chicago area's multi-billion dollar meetings and events market, with more than 1,400 meeting planners and association decision-makers in attendance.

Pictured, from left, are: Hayat Pronovost, Visit Orlando; Meredith Mangas and Shalini D'Souza, Million Dollar RoundTable; and Kathleen Cotter, Orange County Convention Center.

Media Spotlight Orlando's Sports Scene

Visit Orlando's Public Relations Team kicked off the new year with a story promoting Orlando's emerging sports scene, which appeared in Travel Weekly (460,794 UMV). The article leads with "As if Orlando didn't have enough going on to make it the most-visited destination in the U.S., the city will be a sports fan's paradise in 2017," highlighting all of the major events taking place this year. The first of which is the NFL Prowl Bowl on Jan. 29 at Camping World Stadium. A second piece will appear in Orlando Magazine in the coming months.

Members Participate in AmEx INTER

Visit Orlando headed to New Orleans Dec. 12-15 for the American Express INTER [action] Supplier Showcase. Eight members also participated in the Visit Orlando booth: American Audio Visual Inc., Caribe Royal All-Suite Hotel and Convention Center, Hello! Destination Management, Planet Hollywood Observatory, Rosen Hotels & Resorts, So Cool Events Inc., Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. This one-day appointment show allowed each person participating in the Visit Orlando booth to meet with various American Express Travel Buyers and Meeting Planners. The group met with more than 75 clients from accounts including Bristol Myers Squibb, Ernst and Young, Harley Davidson, Merck and United Health Group.

U.K. Winter Campaign Covers Peak Booking Period

Launched on Dec. 26 and continuing through February, the U.K. Winter Campaign targets families during the United Kingdom's peak booking period. The integrated media plan features Never Ending Story brand campaign messaging and includes TV, outdoor advertising, digital and social media. The initiative kicked off with a New Year Sponsorship on Sky1 featuring promotional spots in targeted programming on New Year's Eve and throughout New Year's Day. In addition, a roadblock of relevant programming on all other TV networks ran throughout New Year's Day with 10-second spots.

Visit Orlando Hosts FTI Touristik Germany

FTI Touristik Germany brought 16 Raifeisentouristik travel agency chain contacts to Orlando in December. The group stayed at the Clarion Lake Buena Vista and visited I-Drive 360, SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort.

VisitOrlando.com's 2016 Top Blogs

The steady openings of new thrill rides, family entertainment and shopping options made 2016 an action-packed year of expansion across the destination. Check out our list of the top stories from the Visit Orlando blog that were big hits with fans.

This Week at the Convention Center

MCO Passenger Traffic Exceeds 41.6M

Celebration of Harry Potter This Month

Universal Orlando Resort's fourth annual A Celebration of Harry Potter takes place Jan. 27-29. Film talent making appearances includes Professor Flitwick, Griphook and Neville Longbottom.

Orlando Among Best for Keeping Health Resolutions

According to Wallethub's 2017's Best & Worst Cities for Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions, Orlando is among the top 20 best of 150 of the largest U.S. cities for keeping New Year's health resolutions.

Disney Chefs Launch Dinner Series

Walt Disney World Resort chefs have launched a new dinner series featuring culinary creations coupled with wine pairings. The "Delicious Disney, A Chef Series" will continue in 2017 with the theme of "storytelling with food."

Animal Kingdom Welcomes Elephant Calf

Disney's Animals, Science and Environment team introduces Stella, a female elephant calf born recently and now exploring the savanna at Kilimanjaro Safaris. Stella's mother is 28-year-old Donna, who gave birth to the park's seventh elephant.

Food & Music Fest to Benefit Hospitality Ed

Grand Tour Foundation's fundraiser Foodstock Orlando, a multi-day food and music festival taking place March 1-4 at International Drive and downtown Orlando venues, is to benefit hospitality and tourism education scholarships and grants.

The Escape Game Announces Mission: Mars

The Escape Game Orlando announces Mission: Mars, an hour-long immersive game for 2-8 players that is inspired by popular culture's fascination with space and astronautics.

U.S. Companies Expect More Biz Trips in 2017

Almost three-quarters of U.S. travel managers anticipate more business trips under their watches next year, according to an AirPlus survey. Only one-quarter said the same thing a year earlier.

North American Hoteliers Expect Strong Q1

According to new data from TravelClick's December 2016 North American Hospitality Review, all travel segments are experiencing healthy rate and occupancy gains year-over-year, occupancy increasing 5 percent and average daily rates (ADR) increasing 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017.

Luxury Guests Want Simplicity, Wellness

Luxury hospitality groups and tour operators are saying that their guests today are craving more simplicity, better wellness options, and a greater convergence of experiences combined together in one place.

CDC Zika Information

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), its most current data available at the time of this publishing (Jan. 4, 2017) indicate that 216 locally acquired cases have been reported in the United States, while 4,618 travel-associated cases have been reported. For the most current information about the Zika virus, visit the CDC's Zika page.