June kickstarts our summer travel season, most often associated with leisure travel. However, this month is proving strong for Orlando‘s meetings industry, with several large events like Premiere Orlando and Amateur Athletic Union’s (AAU) 51st Girls' and Boys' Junior National Volleyball Championships calling Orlando home. Their presence at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) confirms our destination’s appeal as a premier meetings, events and conventions destination and supports local businesses, vendors and hospitality workers, all while boosting visitor spending.
- Premiere Orlando: As the largest beauty show in the United States, Premiere Orlando held its 30th anniversary show earlier this month at the OCCC. The conference included over 675 educational classes, 45 workshops, 450 exhibiting brands and 375 educators and influencers, proving to be impactful to participants and those who educate attendees at the conference. See this testimonial.
- AAU: The world's largest volleyball tournament, the Amateur Athletic Union's (AAU) 51st Girls' and Boys' Junior National Volleyball Championships (June 13 - July 7), is anticipated to bring approximately $760.8 million in economic impact to Central Florida, based on an estimated 300,000 attendees. With 5,865 teams and over 117,000 athletes and coaches from all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, it will be the largest sporting event ever at the OCCC, surpassing last year’s record.
To keep up the momentum, your Visit Orlando team continues to work hard to sell our destination. So far this year we have booked more than 660 events for 2024 and beyond. Those meetings and events are estimated to have a $1.4B economic impact on our region.
This positive economic impact of hosting these major events is vital to our region. They also make an indelible influence on our community through charitable donations and endeavors.
And we continue to receive national recognition for our destination's work within the meetings industry.
We were named the No. 1 Meeting Destination in North America by Cvent, an industry leading meetings, events and hospitality technology provider; and awarded ConferenceDirect’s CVB of the Year and HelmsBriscoe’s CVB/Destination of the Year in North America.
Visit Orlando Honored in Best Places to Work
We did it again! Visit Orlando has been named one of Orlando Business Journal's Best Places to Work in Central Florida for the second consecutive year! The annual program recognizes the region's companies that rate highest for employee satisfaction across six categories: communications and resources, manager effectiveness, team dynamics, individual needs, personal engagement, and trust in leadership.
Our most important asset at Visit Orlando is our team members, so focusing on culture was a key priority when we developed our organization's strategic plan. We also created new core values, added benefits and offered ongoing opportunities to gauge employee feedback. I'm truly proud of the entire team's work to create a collaborative culture and strong core values.
Data & Trends
Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending June 8, 2024, was 68.3% which was up 2% from the same week last year. The average daily rate for the week was $189.76, up 3.4%. Room night demand surpassed the prior year by 2.8%.
Across the Industry
Orlando is 2024’s Best City for Staycations: Orlando is 2024’s best city for staycations, according to a recent study from the personal finance outlet WalletHub.com. To determine the best staycation spots, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities, including the 150 most populated cities and at least two of the most populated cities in each state, across three key dimensions: Recreation, Food & Entertainment, and Rest & Relaxation. In the evaluation, Orlando received high ratings for its numerous offerings, including a large number of theme parks, water parks, nightlife activities, and festivals per capita. WalletHub also highlighted Orlando's culinary scene, noting the abundance of affordable and diverse restaurants. Learn more.
Around the Destination
Pulse Remembrance Ceremony: June 12 marked the eighth anniversary of the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in 2016. As a community, we remain committed to remembering the victims and supporting their families, as well as the survivors and the first responders who bravely assisted everyone involved. To honor the 49 lives lost, we will continue to gather, reflect and pay tribute through various memorial events and initiatives. Our shared remembrance ensures their legacy endures, fostering unity and resilience within our community. Watch a recap of the 2024 Pulse Remembrance Ceremony presented by the City of Orlando at Steinmetz Hall in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
USA vs. Brazil Soccer: More than 60,000 fans filled Camping World Stadium on Wednesday, June 12, for the second annual "Allstate Continental Clásico” friendly. The match featured U.S. Men's National Team against five-time World Cup champion Brazil in final preparations for the CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 tournament. The attendance number set a new record for a U.S. Senior National Team match in the Florida.
In preparation for the game, there was a welcome dinner with United States Soccer Federation and Brazil Soccer Football Confederation executives, Visit Orlando representatives and Orlando leaders, including Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. Visit Orlando collaborated with ESPN Brasil to feature several 30-minute live broadcast segments from key spots in Orlando, including The Mall at Millenia, Tom’s Watch Bar, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort and Camping World Stadium. In celebration of the match in Orlando, several locations lit up in red, white, and blue (USA) and green and yellow (Brazil).
Industry Insights Forum: Join Visit Orlando and Expedia Group on Wednesday, June 26, for an Industry Insights Forum at UCF's Rosen College of Hospitality Management. We’ll examine the current state of the travel industry with a lens on Orlando and provide a glimpse at the outlook for the remainder of 2024 and beyond. At the general session, “Orlando Market: Navigating Current Travel Trends,” we will share insights on changes in traveler behaviors and motivations with a snapshot of the 2023 Orlando traveler. Additional discussions will take place after the general session, which include:
- Navigating the Marketplace: Strategies for Success with Expedia Group
- Attractions, Retail, and Travel Trends: Insights for Orlando & Central Florida
- Don't Get Lost in Leads! Visit Orlando Hotel Leads Masterclass
- Tap into Expertise: Unleash the Power of Service Request Optimization
Click here to register for the event.
New Destination Attraction: Congratulations to Walt Disney World Resort on the premiere of their newest attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, at Magic Kingdom Park. Visit Orlando joined community partners and nonprofit organizations from throughout Central Florida for a special preview event. The new attraction features an immersive experience inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog” and the heart and culture of New Orleans. This unique and engaging attraction exemplifies Disney’s commitment to innovation and investment in our destination.
Visit Orlando Engaged!
BWT Convention in Brazil: Last week, Visit Orlando's sales team engaged with over 250 travel agents from Brazil at the BWT Convention—an event focused on learning, training, networking and attending business roundtables. At the conference, Neto Fernandes, a member of Visit Orlando's extended sales team, was honored with the Best International Destination Speaker certificate. Attending the BWT Convention and similar events is key to educating travel advisors on our unbelievably real destination to help them better understand and sell to their clients.
Promoting New Direct Flights to Orlando: The public relations team collaborated with Mexican Airline Viva Aerobus on a content creator press trip to promote the airline’s new direct flights to Orlando from Merida and Monterrey, Mexico. Five content creators combining a reach of 1.7 million followers—Gigi, Gus Zapiain, Raiza Revelles, Clau Revelles and Alberto Villarreal—explored our destination’s unique neighborhoods, culinary offerings and shopping experiences. The group also visited theme parks and attractions, including Universal Orlando Resort, ICON Park, Winter Park’s Scenic Boat Tour, the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art Morse Museum and more. Press trips allow us to work closely with media and influencers to secure valuable third-party endorsements for our destination.
Women in Research Panel: Women in Research (WIRe) hosted a panel discussion, “Transformative Leadership: Fostering Team Unity and Technology Innovation,” in Tampa. WIRe champions diversity in the marketing research industry by arming women with the tools to develop professionally, build connections and stay inspired. Visit Orlando’s Director of Market Research & Insights, Maria Henson, shared insights with leaders representing various industries and businesses, including Publix Super Markets, Visual Comfort & Co., and Moffitt Cancer Center. The conversation centered around leadership, managing change, keeping up with the latest technology and building effective teams.
In the News
Orlando Sentinel: Osceola unveils images of sculpture for tribute to Pulse victims
Prevue Meetings: 10 best cities for lgbtq friendly events
SportsTravel Magazine: AAU to host world’s largest volleyball tournament in Orlando
Orlando Sentinel: Orlando bets $1.3 million arts will give downtown more appeal
