The best travel experiences are built on authentic connections and meaningful memories. Common Ground: Orlando Edition brings that idea to life, using travel as a common thread to connect people through food, sports, entertainment and culture. 

Created by Visit Orlando and Tripadvisor, the three-part YouTube series brings our Moments in Between campaign to life through unscripted conversations about sports, food, arts and culture.

For those who haven’t seen it yet, the series pairs together familiar faces with connections to Orlando to find common ground through the things that bring people together, from sports and food to entertainment, the arts and shared experiences.

Brazilian soccer legend Kaká and Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle Souza connect through the global language of sports; Joey Fatone and celebrity chef Richard Blais explore the connection between food, entertainment and their Orlando roots; and Broadway star Michael James Scott and social media favorites the Valentine Brothers experience Orlando’s performing arts scene while talking openly about inclusivity and belonging.

Audiences are responding, with the series now surpassing 17.6 million views and extending Orlando's story of connection to audiences around the world, including strong engagement from Brazil and Canada.

Common Ground also recently received a Gold MarCom Award, earning international recognition for the creativity and collaboration behind the series. The MarCom Awards is an international competition administered by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals that honors excellence in marketing and communications. Common Ground received Gold in the Web-Based Video category.

The response to Common Ground reinforces the idea at the heart of our Moments in Between campaign: some of the most memorable travel experiences come from the unexpected moments and authentic connections along the way.

Data & Trends

September 2026 Orlando Travel Performance

Leisure travel helped drive September’s gains across hotels and short-term rentals, while forward-looking demand points to positive momentum heading into the holiday season.

Weekly Metrics

Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending Oct. 31 was 66.9%, up 5.4% from the same week last year. Room night demand surpassed last year by 4.8%. The average daily rate for the week was $209.74, up 7.7% from last year. 

Orlando’s weekly hotel performance closely mirrored the U.S. average, with strong year-over-year gains from Sunday through Friday followed by a decline on Halloween Saturday. Advance bookings for next week’s reporting period are pacing behind last year, however November and December are looking strong. 

Visit Orlando Engaged!

Connecting International Travel Advisors With Orlando

Visit Orlando recently welcomed 28 travel advisors from the Netherlands and U.K. for a EuroFAM, giving them firsthand experience with our destination. The program included a marketplace at CoCo Key Resort, where 10 Visit Orlando members connected directly with advisors.

Our team also hosted 11 TUI U.K. travel advisors for breakfast and a site inspection at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Together, these experiences help advisors deepen their knowledge of Orlando and better recommend our destination to international travelers.

Showcasing Orlando at Toronto Media Day

Visit Orlando’s Canadian public relations agency, DCI, attended Brand USA Travel Week Canada’s Toronto Media Day on Oct. 28, connecting with media through 15 targeted one-on-one appointments. The meetings positioned Orlando as a multidimensional destination, highlighting family travel, outdoor adventure, culinary, luxury, arts and culture, LGBTQ+ and sports experiences. We met with notable Canadian outlets, including Dreamscapes, The Globe and Mail, Travel Life and Travelweek.

Showcasing Orlando to Latin American Travelers

Visit Orlando hosted two Argentinian content creators on a media FAM following their Royal Caribbean cruise experience, giving them firsthand experiences to share with Latin American travelers. Their itinerary showcased the variety of experiences including Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts and Goblins press preview; the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour and dinner at Prato; the Rock Cauldron Cabaret at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts; and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. These firsthand experiences help inspire future travel while showcasing more of what Orlando has to offer. 

Across the Industry

Orlando Earns Top Honors for Meetings and Conventions

Orlando continues to earn recognition as a leading meetings and conventions destination, with Visit Orlando honored in both ConventionSouth’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards and the 2026 Prevue Visionary Awards.

Visit Orlando received ConventionSouth’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award, which recognizes top meeting destinations, convention and visitor bureaus, hotels, resorts and event venues across the South based on votes from the publication’s readers and fans. This marks the eighth time Visit Orlando has received the award and will be recognized in ConventionSouth’s December Awards Issue.

In the 2026 Prevue Visionary Awards, which recognize forward-thinking organizations in the meetings and incentives industry, Visit Orlando and Orlando earned three honors:

• Gold: Best U.S. Destination for Meetings & Conventions, Large
• Gold: Best CVB/DMO Meeting & Incentive Planner Support, Southeast
• Silver: Best U.S. Destination for Incentives, Large

Congratulations also to the Orange County Convention Center, which earned Silver for Best U.S. Convention Center, and Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, which earned Silver for Best U.S. Golf and/or Spa Resort.

Around the Destination

Orange County Welcomes Newly Elected Leaders

As Orange County prepares to welcome new leadership, we want to extend our sincere appreciation to Mayor Jerry L. Demings for his eight years of service as Orange County Mayor and to Commissioners Mike Crabb and Maribel Gomez Cordero for their dedication and contributions to our community. We also congratulate Mayor-elect Tiffany Moore Russell, Commissioner-elect Kamia Brown (District 2), Commissioner-elect Johanna Lopez (District 4), Commissioner-elect Patricia Rumpf (District 7) and Commissioner-elect Victor Torres (District 8) on their election, and Commissioner Mike Scott (District 6) on his re-election.

As these leaders prepare to be sworn into office on Dec. 8, Visit Orlando looks forward to working together to strengthen our community, support local businesses and continue advancing the positive impact tourism has on Orange County residents. 

New Nonstop Flight Expands Orlando’s Access To Europe

Orlando’s international connectivity continues to grow with new nonstop service from Portugal. On Oct. 29, TAP Air Portugal launched the first nonstop connection between Portugal and Central Florida, with year-round service between Lisbon and Orlando International Airport three times weekly. Connections through Lisbon to destinations across TAP Air Portugal’s network also create new opportunities to grow visitation from Portugal and other key European markets.

Expanding international air access is an important part of bringing more visitors to Orlando. Visit Orlando works with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority to support efforts to attract new air service and make our destination easier to reach from markets around the world.

Build-a-Bear Brings One-of-a-kind Experience to Orlando

Orlando’s International Drive corridor has a new experience for residents and visitors with the opening of Build-A-Bear Workshop’s most personalized location yet at ICON Park. Officially opened Nov. 5, the multi-level destination adds another unique attraction to Orlando’s tourism offerings and reinforces our destination as a place where brands bring new and innovative experiences to life. Visit Orlando was honored to join ICON Park and the Orlando community for the opening celebration.

The new location features a first-of-its-kind Design Studio, where guests can create a custom furry friend, along with an interactive Bakeshop, Scent Bar and expanded personalization options. It also includes specialty Pokémon and Hello Kitty and Friends shops, the largest selection of furry friends available at any Build-A-Bear Workshop and exclusive Orlando-inspired characters.

Jaguars 2027 Season Ticket Deposits Now Open

The Jacksonville Jaguars are heading to Orlando for the 2027 season, giving Central Florida fans a unique opportunity to see the team play its home games locally. Fans can now place deposits for up to eight seats per account, with deposits of $100 per seat for general bowl seating or $200 per seat for club seating. Deposits provide priority access to season tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

Place a season ticket deposit here.

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