Visit Orlando’s convention sales, communications and marketing team, along with more than 25 Visit Orlando members and destination partners, attended IMEX America 2024—the largest U.S. trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry.

The four-day event provided extensive opportunities for networking, business meetings, educational sessions, and group presentations to key decision-makers, senior buyers and third-party planners from across the U.S. and beyond. This year’s event attracted 15,500 attendees, including 5,500 buyers, with 86,000 pre-scheduled meetings. Industry professionals, exhibitors and buyers also represented a wide range of countries, venues, and suppliers.

To promote Orlando as a premier business destination, your Visit Orlando team conducted more than 950 appointments with meeting planners and hosted several events, including a networking breakfast that drew more than 350 attendees. Our focus is showcasing Orlando’s unique blend of world-class accommodations, diverse meetings spaces, entertainment and personalized service by our team of experts for meetings and conventions groups.

We also facilitated media interviews with key trade publications, including BizBash, Smart Meetings, Meetings Today and Prevue with our executive team to further tell our story to the meetings industry.

Attending IMEX America is a major part of Visit Orlando’s sales and marketing strategy, as it drives future business opportunities that benefit our entire region, strengthens our relationships with key industry players and showcases Orlando as a top meetings destination.

Data & Trends

August 2024 TDT Collections: Orange County's Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections received by Orange County for the August 2024 TDT collection month were $23,162,000. August 2024 collections were higher than August 2023 collections by $989,300 or 4.5%. Compared to last month, August collections were lower than July collections by $3.4 million or 13.0%. On a fiscal year-to-date basis, collections are up by $28,000 or essentially flat.

Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy was up 0.5% from August 2023, settling at 63%. Hotel room demand also increased by 1.4%. The average daily rate (ADR) for Orlando hotels was $161.36, reflecting a 1.4% increase from the previous year ($159.19). Short-term rentals for the Metro Orlando area also saw an increase in demand from last year (+7%), but ADR dipped slightly by 3%.  Attendance at the Orange County Convention Center was up year-over-year with several new groups with events in August including the APCO International 90th Annual Conference & Expo, the premier event for public safety communications officials.

Hotel Metrics: Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending October 12, 2024, was 70.7% which was up 0.4% from the same week last year. The average daily rate for the week was $177.43, down 5.7% from last year. Room night demand surpassed prior year by 1.2%. 

Around the Destination

State of Downtown Address: This week, the Downtown Orlando Partnership hosted City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's 2024 State of the Downtown Address at the Kia Center. Mayor Dyer shared information regarding Project DTO 2.0 and the latest dynamics of downtown Orlando: it’s easy to get around, is a park and is for everyone. He also introduced two exciting initiatives enhancing the downtown experience. The new Clean & Safe App allows users to report non-emergency maintenance and public safety concerns, helping to keep downtown safe and enjoyable for all. Additionally, the Ride DTO transit service is now live, providing on-demand, eco-friendly rides throughout downtown. You can enjoy your first three rides for FREE with code RIDEDTO! View the State of Downtown Address.

EPIC Universe: Universal Orlando Resort announced its new theme park, Epic Universe, will open on May 22, 2025, just before Memorial Day weekend. Epic Universe will include five distinct worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, Dark Universe and Celestial Park. Select multi-day tickets and packages go on sale next week, with more on the way soon. This is a big win for our destination, as Epic Universe not only enriches it but also reinforces our commitment to continuous innovation, which is one of the reasons Orlando is an unbelievably real destination. Learn more.

Celebrating Dr. Phillips’ Legacy: Last night, we came together to celebrate 150 years of Dr. Phillips’ enduring legacy. Foundations like Dr. Phillips Charities are at the heart of our community, offering crucial support, resources, and opportunities for growth and development. We are proud to have Terry Prather, Visit Orlando Board Chair, also serving as the Board Chair of Dr. Phillips Charities, who, alongside Dr. Phillips, Inc. President and CEO/ Director Kenneth Robinson, awarded $1.5 million of dollars to a variety of non-profit organization across central Florida. Watch this video to see the incredible impact they’ve made throughout the years.

FABTECH: Our destination welcomed FABTECH, North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event, at the Orange County Convention Center. The event brought together nearly 30,000 buyers and manufacturers. With more than 1,500 suppliers, attendees discovered innovative solutions and tools to boost productivity and increase profits. Visit Orlando's Chief Sales Officer, Lisa Messina, delivered opening remarks to welcome FABTECH attendees to Orlando, providing a brief update on the destination. Highlights included Orlando's growing culinary scene, vibrant nightlife, and what's new in arts and culture, theme parks and attractions and hotels and resorts. 

Visit Orlando Engaged!

Brazilian Journalists in Orlando: Visit Orlando’s public relations team recently hosted Brazilian journalists to showcase Orlando’s theme parks’ fall events, dining, arts and outdoor activities. The group represented major outlets, including Gazeta do Povo newspaper (17.3M website), Melhores Destinos (7.2M website), Viaje Mais magazine (130K), 29 Horas magazine (100K) and Zero Horas (36M) for a combined reach of over 50.7 million readers. The group stayed at Caribe Royale Orlando and Evermore Orlando Resort and visited Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival, and SeaWorld’s Howl-o-Scream. They also watched an Orlando Pride game featuring Brazilian superstar Marta.

Canada Sales Mission: Visit Orlando, along with its theme parks, attractions, hotels, and transportation partners, hosted the second annual Orlando Canadian Sunshine Tour in Ottawa (Oct. 9) and Montreal (Oct. 10). The event connected travel agents, tour operators, and industry stakeholders with Orlando partners through interactive sessions and networking, highlighting updates on everything from world-renowned theme parks and Michelin-starred dining to unique hotels and local neighborhoods. As part of the tour, Visit Orlando’s public relations team and Walt Disney World Resort hosted nearly 40 media professionals for the Travel Media Association of Canada’s monthly meet-up, where we shared updates on what’s new in the Theme Park Capital of the World while showcasing Orlando’s growing culinary and mixology scene, including a cocktail-making class led by Justin Levaughn, MICHELIN Guide Florida 2024 Exceptional Cocktails Award winner. Additionally, Visit Orlando’s travel industry sales team hosted a client dinner in Toronto.

Eatonville Renaissance Luncheon: Dr. N.Y. Nathiri and the Blanchard House Institute hosted an "Eatonville Renaissance - Honoring the Past, Building the Future" roundtable luncheon at the Valencia College Winter Park Campus. The event brought together civic, government and private sector leaders to discuss transforming Eatonville, one of America’s most historically significant Black communities, into a vibrant cultural heritage destination. Discussion topics included the ZORA!® Festival and The Zora Neale Hurston® National Museum of Fine Arts. Visit Orlando’s Brand Marketing Manager, Jasmin Hough, attended on behalf of the organization to share Visit Orlando’s involvement and explore additional ways to highlight the educational and historical initiatives of the ZORA!® Festival.

In the News

CNN: Epic Universe: Universal Orlando announces opening date for the theme park

Meetings Today: Visit Orlando's president and CEO on what's new in the destination

Miami Herald: Best culinary hotels in Florida: Michelin dining & more

Travel + Leisure: These are the biggest travel trends of 2025, according to Expedia