April 28, 2023

Hello,

Visit Orlando, in association with Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, hosted Orlando Live!, a series of innovative in-person training events, in London, Manchester and Glasgow, on April 24-27, 2023.

The event was the largest member delegation in history for a Visit Orlando training event, with 17 destination partners and more than 500 travel advisors attending.

OrlandoLive! gathered UK agents and advisors for comprehensive and interactive Orlando-focused training about our destination, including new hotels, attractions and experiences and expert tips for selling the Orlando experience to customers.

Engaging activities included game sessions and opportunities to win special prizes. Five travel advisors from each city won a trip to Orlando to attend the 2023 Ultimate Orlando Experience VIP Superfam happening later this year.

Visit Orlando's roadshows are a proven method for presenting products and services to travel professionals that positions Orlando as a leading destination and increases brand exposure to grow market share.

Lifting Asian Voices with Buzzfeed

As part of Visit Orlando's annual multicultural campaign, we partnered with Buzzfeed's Asian Voices to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month happening in May by highlighting our city's diverse dining scene. Inga Lam, a well-known influencer, took a food tour of Orlando's top Asian restaurants along the Mills50 District capturing some fun foodie moments and she also visited the new Orlando Mural in downtown Orlando.

The photos will be showcased on the BuzzFeedTasty Instagram channel and will be complemented by Visit Orlando's sponsorship of HuffPost's Asian Voices during AAPI Month. The combined program will drive to our Visit Orlando AAPI Month blog and is estimated to deliver a total of 9.9 million impressions nationwide.

Register for Visit Orlando's Signature Luncheon

Visit Orlando's annual Travel & Tourism Event will be held on May 11 at the Orange County Convention Center. This year's theme is Moving Forward with keynote speaker Samantha Brown, two-time Emmy Award-winning TV personality and travel expert. Samantha will speak about the emotional value of travel. During the general session, Chris Davidson, EVP of travel intelligence at MMGY, will highlight Inclusivity in Travel: A Profile of Travelers with Disabilities & LGBTQ+ Travelers and Visit Orlando's director of market research & insights, Maria Henson, will provide information on trends, performance and an outlook for 2023.

Register today and purchase single or 3-series corporate table sponsorships through Visit Orlando's member recruitment manager, Kelly Kinney. 

Key Tourism Indicators

For the week ending April 22: Metro Orlando occupancy was 79.3%, up from last week's 75.7% and flat from the same week last year. The Average Daily Rate was $217.34, up 3.5% from last year.

Industry Employment: The Leisure and Hospitality sector within the Orlando MSA lost 300 jobs from February to March but remains at 102% of pre-pandemic employment. The sector is comprised of three areas:

• Food Services and Drinking Places increased by 0.1% from February to March. The sector is currently at 105% of February 2020 employment.
  
  
• Arts, Entertainment and Recreation fell by -0.2% from February to March. The sector is currently at 105% of February 2020 employment.
  
  
• Accommodations fell by -0.3% from February to March. The sector is currently at 93% of February 2020 employment.

Around the Destination

Opera Orlando: Last weekend, I had the honor of attending Opera Orlando's Mozart at the Marquise's at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Steinmetz Hall. The musical program and candlelight dinner immersed attendees with the vocals of Mozartean opera singers and musicians. This unique experience and venue greatly represent Orlando's vast live entertainment, theatre, musical and performing arts scene.

Women United Luncheon: Heart of Florida United Way hosted its annual Women United Luncheon at Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. The annual event draws supporters across the tri-county area, inspiring over 750 professionals and community leaders. This year's keynote speaker was Christine D'Ercole, a public speaker, writer, competitive cyclist and popular Peloton instructor who focused on mental fitness. To find out more about Women United, click here.

New Attraction at ICON Park: This week, ICON Park opened The Great Florida Road Trip, an interactive retro camera game and educational opportunity for guests visiting The Wheel at ICON Park. The experience highlights Florida's history as an entertainment and tourist destination and displays Orlando's beautiful landscape and city views. At the ribbon cutting, I joined ICON Park's leadership team, Visit Orlando team members and industry friends to commemorate the opening of this new and exciting attraction.

Spring Grand Buffet-Patisserie: Valencia College's culinary students and faculty displayed their cooking techniques and skills by preparing various meals from main dishes to cakes and pastries, at the Spring Grand Buffet-Patisserie Event. Through Valencia College's Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality program, attendees tasted amazing food, connected with Valencia's leadership and met with culinary students and alums which included Food Network stars, chefs from Michelin star restaurants and James Beard awarding-winning restauranteurs.

Visit Orlando Engaged!

We Serve: Visit Orlando's information technology, finance, market research and business affairs teams volunteered at Give Kids The World Village, a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida, that provides wish vacations to critically ill children and their families. Our team members served breakfast, washed dishes and made waffles for approximately 100 families.

In the News

Orlando Sentinel: Robocop BBot will 'walk' the beat at Orange County Convention Center

Date Night Guide: Best new Orlando restaurants + experiences for couples in 2023

Meetings Today: Scenic Florida outdoor venues for impressive events

Orlando Weekly: International vegan food festival returns to Orlando

Recommend: Michelin on the map: new for 2023