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TourismMatters®
FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO
Keeping Orlando Top of Mind for Vacations
Orlando’s tourism industry is booming — but even when times are good, it’s smart to keep our foot on the proverbial pedal.
On Monday, Visit Orlando will launch a major fall marketing campaign to keep our destination top of mind for vacations in early 2019. From TV to digital to social and beyond, the “Uniquely Orlando” message will appear across multiple media platforms in our core markets at home and abroad.
In addition, as you’ll read below, we’ve also ramped up efforts to promote Orlando’s many Halloween and seasonal events. By showcasing our destination as the Halloween Vacation Capital®, we can drive visitation during non-peak periods — and keep the momentum rolling all year long.
George Aguel
President & CEO
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Hotel Demand Expected to Rise 2.8% in 2019
Demand for Orlando hotel rooms is expected to rise 2.8 percent in 2019, based on the continuing strength of the U.S. economy and new product scheduled to open next year. Occupancy rate is forecast to rise just 0.3 percent, as new supply absorbs most of the growth in demand. Our destination’s room inventory is accelerating after several years of modest growth, as hotel developers take note of Orlando’s high occupancy rates and increase in average daily rates. More than 7,700 rooms are set to open in 2018 (2,779) and 2019 (4,949).
VISIT ORLANDO ACTIVITIES
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
George Aguel Reads
to Pre-K Classroom
Helping emphasize the importance of reading at an early age, Visit Orlando President & CEO George Aguel read several beloved children’s books to the Kids Now Academy pre-k class Sept. 5. Sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, the celebrity reader program promotes early literacy and supports kindergarten readiness by reading to children for 30 minutes every day.
MARKETING
Special Webpage
Promotes Halloween
Visit Orlando has launched a special webpage to help travelers plan a ghoulish getaway to the Halloween Vacation Capital®. VisitOrlando.com/Halloween includes a host of events and attractions, themed hotel packages and the return of the nation’s largest horror convention. The destination’s Halloween festivals run through Nov. 3 and have something for everyone – from extreme scares for adults and teens to friendly frights for the whole family.
M&C
Summit Helps Attract
Future Business
Visit Orlando’s convention sales team networked with hundreds of meeting professionals at the 2018 Kellen Managers Summit Aug. 27-29 in Atlanta. Kellen is a global management company serving 125-plus trade associations, professional societies and charitable organizations that represent more than 10,000 companies and 100,000 professionals.
PUBLICITY
Sentinel Features 17
Magical Dining Spots
Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month, sponsored by American Express, continues to generate a large amount of media coverage, thanks to Visit Orlando’s public relations team. One of the most recent articles, “7 tips for a Magical Dining Month,” ran in the Orlando Sentinel and featured menu items from 17 restaurants.
TRAVEL INDUSTRY
Brazilian Roadshow
Targets Key Markets
Visit Orlando and four participating members (SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Kennedy Space Center, Copa Airlines and Disney Destination Sales) hosted a roadshow Aug. 20-22 in key Brazilian cities. More than 780 travel professionals attended the destination training workshop sessions, allowing Visit Orlando and our partners the opportunity to promote Orlando’s many offerings.
MARKETING
Canada Fall Campaign
Focuses on Toronto, YTV
As part of Visit Orlando’s global fall marketing campaign, which launches Monday, the Toronto area will once again be the focus of our strategy in Canada. New this year, Visit Orlando will run one-minute, in-destination segments during "Big Fun Movies" on Canada’s most popular family channel, YTV. The segments are expected to produce more than 176 million impressions.
M&C
Connecting with
Key Meeting Planners
On Aug. 23-25 in Salt Lake City, Visit Orlando’s convention sales team attended Connect Marketplace, an annual education conference and appointment-only meeting planner trade show. The sales team networked with more than 70 meeting planners who represent various association and corporate groups that have the potential to book groups in Orlando.
TRAVEL INDUSTRY
First Mexico Superfam
Highlights Destination
Visit Orlando hosted 24 tour operators and three leading trade media outlets during our inaugural Mexico Superfam Aug. 13-24. Participants experienced Orlando’s well-known theme parks and attractions, as well as world-class shopping and diverse dining options.
The raises are expected to bring $1 billion of additional wages into Central Florida’s economy during the four-year contract. Read More
Orange County TDT up 7.3% in July
Orange County Tourist Development Tax collections surpassed $21 million in July, a 7.3 percent increase from the year prior. Read More
Hyatt Regency of Orlando Wins ‘Hotel Team’ Award
Hyatt Regency of Orlando was recently named Hyatt’s 2017 Donald J. Pritzker Hotel Team of the Year. Visit Orlando board member Brian Comes is the hotel’s area vice president. Read More
Construction to Begin in 2019 on Magic Complex
The Orlando Magic's 8.4-acre sports and entertainment district, located next to the Amway Center, will likely be completed by about 2021. Read More
New Disney Cruise Line Ships Headed to Canaveral
Two new Disney Cruise Line ships will make Canaveral their homeport in the coming years, and a yet-to-be-named Carnival ship will also arrive in 2020. Read More
VISIT ORLANDO EVENTS
Save the date for a nontraditional golf tournament at Lake Nona’s newest attraction, Drive Shack. More details to come on this exciting member event, which will feature fierce and friendly competition.
