Visit Orlando is best known for marketing our destination, but our work goes further. We also drive sales by booking meetings and conventions, and we support visitors directly through planning services. As we continue to strengthen how we serve travelers, we are making it easier than ever to plan an Orlando trip.

This week, Visit Orlando launched OPAL (Orlando Planning Assistance by Locals), an AI-driven planning tool designed to simplify and personalize the visitor experience. Available 24/7 in multiple languages on VisitOrlando.com, OPAL is powered by Mindtrip and complements our existing free planning services, including one-on-one consultations.

What makes OPAL different is that it is trained by Visit Orlando’s local experts and supported by trusted data from more than 40 sources, including Google Places and TripAdvisor. It responds much like our vacation planners, offering tailored recommendations, highlighting local businesses and building custom itineraries.

As a complex destination, helping visitors navigate their options is essential. From Michelin-recognized dining to new attractions and family-friendly experiences, OPAL connects travelers to what matters most. OPAL also creates new opportunities for our members by surfacing relevant businesses during the planning process, increasing visibility when travelers are making decisions.

Following a soft launch earlier this year, engagement has grown quickly, with over 14,800 itineraries created and more than 57,000 chat interactions.

We are already using insights from these conversations to improve how we serve our audiences, refining content and enhancing the experience across our digital channels, including our nine websites, the Visit Orlando app and email newsletters.

As more travelers turn to AI, Visit Orlando is combining what we are learning from OPAL with broader trends across platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini to better understand how visitors plan their trips and ensure we continue meeting their expectations.

Data & Trends

Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending June 20, 2026, was 73.2%, up 0.1% from the same week last year. Room night demand surpassed last year by 0.4%. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) for the week was $211.31, up 7.7% from last year.

Around the Destination

Quarterly Update To Tourist Development Council

Visit Orlando provided a quarterly update to the Orange County Tourist Development Council. Our team shared visitation data with a new record 76.7 million visitors in 2025, nearly 2% growth over 2024, demonstrating tourism’s continued impact across the region.

The update detailed how Visit Orlando is leveraging the 2026 FIFA World Cup to position our destination as a companion city for traveling fans through a phased, integrated marketing effort spanning digital advertising, public relations and social media, all driving to VisitOrlando.com/soccer. The strategy also included Road to 26 activations in host cities, including Orlando, and fan engagement at the Orlando City SC Orlando Soccer Celebration at Pointe Orlando.

We also highlighted “Common Ground,” a new YouTube series with Tripadvisor launching mid-August that brings together voices from different worlds for conversations about travel, food, music, sports and connection, featuring guests such as the Valentine brothers and Orlando native and founding member of *NSYNC Joey Fatone, alongside chef Richard Blais of Four Flamingos restaurant and more.

Watch

Register For Visit Orlando’s Industry Insights Forum

Joins us for Visit Orlando’s Industry Insights Forum Aug. 5 at the Orange County Convention Center. The forum brings together tourism, hospitality, sales and marketing professionals for a day focused on what’s ahead and how to prepare for it. Designed to support planning for the remainder of 2026 and beyond, the forum delivers executive-level insights on economic conditions, traveler behavior, and market performance.

The General Session features Visit Orlando President and CEO Casandra Matej, followed by economist Dr. Anirban Basu, who will examine U.S. economic trends and emerging risks, and senior director of market research and insights Maria Henson, who will connect those trends to Orlando’s tourism outlook and traveler decision-making.

Attendees also have access to interactive Learning Labs led by Visit Orlando subject matter experts, offering practical strategies on technology, sales opportunities, marketing strategies, destination experience initiatives, artificial intelligence and tourism research.

New this year, an Executive Insights Lunch will explore Gen Alpha, the next generation of travelers. In partnership with Visit Orlando’s creative agency Razorfish, the session will examine how this generation is reshaping family decision-making, blending in real life (IRL) and digital experiences and setting new standards for brand engagement. In addition, the session will unpack what makes Gen Alpha unique and outlines how you can future-proof your business offerings.

Register

Visit Orlando Engaged!

Women On The Rise Roundtable

This week, I joined the RISE Executive Roundtable hosted by Women on the Rise International held at Visit Orlando’s office. Women on the Rise is an Orlando-based nonprofit that provides educational and motivational programming focused on financial literacy, career development, entrepreneurship and personal wellness.

The roundtable centered on a candid discussion about our role as leaders and women in the workforce. I spoke about Visit Orlando’s position as travel and tourism ambassadors and the broader impact of our work on the community, emphasizing that influence is built over time through collaboration, active listening and a willingness to learn. The conversation reinforced a shared commitment to leading with authenticity and intention.

Power Lunch On Cultural Tourism

More than 130 attendees joined Visit Orlando and United Arts of Central Florida for a Cultural Tourism-focused educational Power Lunch on June 24 at Citrus Club. The lunch brought together Visit Orlando members and tourism, hospitality and arts leaders to explore how culture strengthens Orlando’s destination appeal.

In a panel session format, Visit Orlando and United Arts representatives shared how cultural tourism integrates storytelling, marketing and partnerships to elevate local arts and culture within the visitor experience. In fact, 16% of U.S. visitors to Orlando participated in cultural activities such as museums and galleries in 2024, with arts and culture influencing destination selection for up to 35% of traveling families.

To build on that momentum, attendees were encouraged to leverage tools such as the Artist Hub Directory to book local artists and complete the Cultural Concierge Course to better connect visitors with Orlando’s arts scene. These efforts aim to drive visibility, engagement and economic opportunity for the region’s cultural partners.

Sharing Expertise Across Industry Events

Over the past week, Visit Orlando team members participated in several industry events, sharing expertise in marketing, communications and hospitality. Across each engagement, our team provided insight into how travel is changing and how Orlando continues to evolve.

• Travel & Hospitality Day at Association of National Advertisers: Tim Megginson, Visit Orlando’s vice president of digital and data strategy, joined a panel around how travelers are using AI to search and plan trips and what that means for how destinations show up online. A key takeaway: as search behavior changes, destinations must adapt how they share content to remain visible.
   
• Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International: Stronger Together, Destination Marketing Organization’s and Local Partnerships: Kathy Brown, Visit Orlando’s vice president of marketing focused on travel trends, international visitation and collaboration with local partners. A key takeaway: strong partnerships are critical in daily operations and during times of need to support residents and visitors.
   
• Florida Public Relations Association Orlando & Public Relations Society of America Orlando Media Mashup 2026: Jacklyne Schottmiller, Visit Orlando’s director of public relations, joined Jason Siegel, president and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, and Jessica Beers, executive director of the Kissimmee Sports Commission at Experience Kissimmee, for a panel discussion on how communications helps position Central Florida to attract major sporting events and new opportunities. A key takeaway: clear, consistent messaging plays a central role in how destinations compete at the national and global level.

These conversations are select examples of how Visit Orlando shares insight into today’s traveler for industry organizations and beyond.

If you have a speaking engagement that you’d like Visit Orlando to participate in, fill out this request form.

In the News

MSN (also syndicated in 25+ UK outlets): Luxury in Orlando with a lagoon and beach plus a St Andrews style golf course

Family Vacationist: 12 summer trips to please teens and adults

Tampa Bay Parenting: Old Florida Attractions You Can Still Visit Today

WFTV: Visit Orlando introduces OPAL, AI-powered trip planning tool