I'm pleased to announce Orlando welcomed 75,333,800 visitors in 2024—an increase of 1.8% over 2023. We broke this news at Visit Orlando’s annual Travel & Tourism Event held yesterday at the Orange County Convention Center, alongside elected officials, community leaders and member organizations.
Every January, visitation starts at zero—and through strategic marketing and the strength of our world-class experiences, we welcome millions of visitors each year. This level of visitation means that visitors to our destination are fueling our economy—supporting local businesses, which in turn creates jobs and pathways to advancement, and helps residents sustain a quality of life rarely found in cities of our size.
Key findings from Orlando’s 2024 visitation results showed that:
Domestic visitation grew by 1.4%, totaling 68,840,300 visitors in 2024.
International visitation continued to recover at a faster pace, growing 5.9% from the previous year.
In total, Orlando welcomed 6.5 million visitors from international markets in 2024.
Canada remains the top international market to Orlando with 1.29 million visitors, followed by the U.K., Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.
The Blue Man Group performs with an audience member during Visit Orlando's Travel & Tourism Event.
In addition to our visitation announcement, our annual signature luncheon event was packed with entertainment and helpful insights for attendees. Here’s a recap of all that unfolded:
Opening Performance: The Blue Man Group helped us kick off the luncheon with their signature style, fun and creativity with a live performance.
Special Tribute: We remembered and honored the late Geraldine Thompson, former Florida State Senator, and the late David Siegel, founder of Westgate Resorts, for their lasting contributions to the industry and our community. Their leadership helped drive innovation in both Orlando’s tourism sector and the community at large.
Mitch Mitchem, CEO of HIVE Interactive, delivers the keynote address at Visit Orlando’s Travel & Tourism Event.
Keynote Address: Mitch Mitchem, CEO of HIVE Interactive, shared insights on how artificial intelligence is transforming industries and empowering individuals. Known as a disruptor, Mitchem has spent his career helping people break barriers and rethink what's possible. His keynote moved the conversation beyond hype to implementation—challenging attendees to see AI as a practical tool for meaningful change. Additional key highlights included:
Practical Implementation & Daily Use: Highlighting AI as a practical tool, showcasing real-life use cases—email writing, presentation preparation, and aiding in family communications—using models like ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok.
Embracing Change: Advocating for integrating AI without replacing human intelligence, and rather urging professionals to adopt AI in a way that leverages their unique experience, ensuing tools serve as powerful enablers.
Generational Insights: Addressing how different generations—Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers—are using AI and adapting to its fast pace.
Visit Orlando Board Chair and Area Managing Director of Operations at Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando Barb Bowden speaks at Visit Orlando’s Travel & Tourism Event.
Leadership Highlights: Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings joined us to commemorate National Travel and Tourism Week, recognizing the vital role travel plays in driving regional prosperity. Visit Orlando Board Chair and Area Managing Director of Operations at Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando Barb Bowden emphasized the travel industry’s significant contributions to Orlando’s economy and community vibrancy. I shared strategic updates, outlining key initiatives around international family travel, domestic marketing campaigns, and growth in the meetings and conventions sector.
Tammy McCormick, Visit Orlando director of destination experience, with TSA team members at Orlando International Airport (MCO).
Throughout this week, Visit Orlando launched several special initiatives in celebration of National Travel & Tourism week, including:
Appreciation to Essential Workers: We thanked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, TSA, and Tourist Oriented Policing Squad teams for their essential work in welcoming our visitors and ensuring safe, efficient travel. These teams are often the first and last touchpoints for visitors, making their contributions especially meaningful. To show our appreciation, we delivered cookies from Charlie's Bakery in District 3, highlighting how tourism is directly supporting these essential positions and the services that help our region thrive through property tax.
L to R: Chris Mueller, general manager at Hilton Orlando; Robert Agrusa, president and CEO at Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association; Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings; Casandra Matej, Visit Orlando president and CEO; Barb Bowden, Visit Orlando board chair and area managing director of operations at Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando; Stan Rubins, Visit Orlando senior corporate counsel and vice president of external affairs; Charles Harris, Visit Orlando chief operating officer
National Travel & Tourism Week Proclamation: In partnership with the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, we joined Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings and county commissioners for a proclamation officially declaring National Travel & Tourism Week. This proclamation highlights the important role tourism plays in our region’s economy and quality of life. We’re proud to stand alongside community leaders and industry partners to celebrate the people and places that make our destination Unbelievably Real.
Data & Trends
March 2025 TDT Collections
Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond announced that Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections received by Orange County for the March 2025 TDT collection month were $40,177,100. That is a 0.9% decrease compared to March 2024. “Although collections were slightly lower than last March, they still mark the second-highest monthly total on record and only the second time they’ve topped $40 million,” said Comptroller Diamond. The chart below shows the monthly year-over-year dollar amount change in TDT collections since October 2022.
Orlando’s travel performance in March was softer compared to the same month last year, primarily due to the shift of the Easter holiday from March to April in 2024 as expected. Hotel occupancy was down by 4.6%, settling at 76.6%. Overall hotel demand saw a slight decrease of 3.8%. The average daily rate (ADR) for Orlando hotels reached $230.62, reflecting a 0.7% increase from the previous year ($229.09). Short-term rentals in the Metro Orlando area maintained demand levels similar to last year although the ADR dropped by 15%.
Weekly Hotel Metrics
Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending May 3, 2025, was 77.8% up 11.8% from the same week last year. The average daily rate for the week was $222.48, up 7.4% from last year. Room night demand surpassed the prior year by 12.6%.
Across the Industry
Honoring Travel Advisors on Global Travel Advisor Day
This week, we celebrated Global Travel Advisor Day, observed the first Wednesday in May, recognizing the hard work and dedication of travel advisors and their industry partners who help make travel dreams come true. Visit Orlando is grateful for all the travel advisors whose hard work and support help make Orlando the most visited destination in the U.S. We deeply value collaborating with travel advisors and look forward to continued success.
Around the Destination
Jarrod Dillon, Visit Orlando board member and president of business operations for Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride, and Inter&Co Stadium, receives the 2024 DOP Downtowner of the Year award at the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s Golden Brick Awards.
Golden Brick Awards Celebration
Congratulations to Jarrod Dillon, Visit Orlando board member and president of business operations for Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride, and Inter&Co Stadium, for being named the 2024 DOP Downtowner of the Year by the Downtown Orlando Partnership (DOP). This prestigious annual award honors individuals who have made an exceptional and lasting impact on the vibrancy and overall success of downtown Orlando.
Jarrod has played a key role in bringing major global events to the city, including the FIFA Club World Cup, CONMEBOL Copa América, U.S. national team matches, the FC Series and Premier League Summer Series—helping earn Orlando recognition as Sports Business Journal’s best city for sports business.
Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings and Danielle Hollander, Visit Orlando’s chief marketing officer, join Consul Generals, Honorary Consul Generals, and local leaders for Orange County’s International Consuls Meeting.
2025 International Consuls Meeting
Orange County hosted the 2025 International Consuls Meeting last week, reaffirming its commitment to global partnerships that drive economic growth and innovation. The event brought together Consul Generals, Honorary Consul Generals, and local leaders to discuss critical topics for the international community. Danielle Hollander, Visit Orlando’s chief marketing officer, shared with the group our region’s dedication to international collaboration and how together we advance shared economic goals for Central Florida. These partnerships are essential to fostering sustainable growth, supporting local businesses, and enhancing Central Florida’s global competitiveness. View photos from the meeting.
L to R: Danielle Hollander, chief marketing officer; Maria Henson, senior director of market research and insights; Casandra Matej, Visit Orlando president and CEO; Ronda Schoeneberg, convention sales national accounts director
The Orlando Economic Partnership hosted its annual Regional Leadership Conference last week at Disney’s Yacht Club Convention Center, bringing together business leaders, investors, and professionals for a day of networking and educational sessions. The event focused on advancing Broad-based Prosperity® in the Orlando region through sessions on economic growth, workforce development, and regional collaboration. A highlight included the presentation of the 2025 James B. Greene Award to Ed Timberlake for his lasting contributions to the region’s economic and community development.
Visit Orlando Engaged!
Visit Orlando team members meet with industry professionals at Live! at The Pointe Orlando.
Convention District Social Media Ambassadors Workgroup Meeting
Visit Orlando’s Brian Lucero and Greg Smith recently participated in the Convention Center District Social Media Ambassadors Workgroup Meeting at Live! at The Pointe Orlando. Hosted quarterly by the Orange County Convention Center, the meeting brings together marketing, public relations, and social media professionals from organizations along International Drive to share updates and strengthen collaboration within the meetings and conventions industry.
