We hope you can join us for Visit Orlando’s Year End Celebration on Thursday, December 11, at Epcot’s World ShowPlace Pavilion. This signature luncheon is a special opportunity to connect with industry professionals and reflect on our accomplishments as a community and industry throughout 2025.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining, presented by Orlando Health Charity Announcement: Join us live as we reveal the total amount raised during the 20th anniversary of Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining, presented by Orlando Health. Since 2009, the program has raised nearly $3 million for local charities, continuing to make a meaningful impact on our community. This year’s main charitable beneficiary, REED Charitable Foundation, is working to end the literacy crisis by ensuring all children have access to reading instruction based on how the brain learns to read — through educator training that’s both affordable and accessible.
   
• Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Top-Performing Restaurants: We’ll announce the restaurants whose dedication and creativity helped make Visit Orlando's Magical Dining a success. The categories are: Top Performing Restaurant, Top Performing New Restaurant ($40 Menu), Top Performing New Restaurant ($60 Menu) and Largest Increase from 2024 to 2025.
   
• Exclusive Opportunity: We are honored to be hosted by Walt Disney World® Resort, offering a truly magical setting for this year’s celebration. We are equally delighted to share that following the luncheon, Walt Disney World® Resort is extending an exclusive opportunity to remain in the park as their guest to enjoy the festive holiday cheer of EPCOT® International Festival of the Holidays, presented by AdventHealth. A wonderful way to extend the spirit of the season and create lasting memories with your team and colleagues.

For answers to event questions and to purchase corporate tables, please contact MemberEvents@VisitOrlando.com.

Highlights From Brand USA Travel Week

Visit Orlando attended Brand USA Travel Week: U.K. & Europe in London. The event provided valuable opportunities to hear from industry experts on the European market, learn about Brand USA's future plans, engage in meetings with airlines and pitch media for future destination coverage. Our team held more than 40 appointments with media representing U.K., Ireland, Spain, France and more.

As part of the educational sessions, Oxford Economics delivered a travel forecast update featuring five key takeaways:

• Near-term economic growth is expected to slow, but recession risks are low for most markets.
• Economic and travel outlooks remain uncertain, with lower confidence in the short term.
• Value for money is increasingly crucial, benefiting lower-cost destinations and highlighting the importance of connectivity.
• Travel continues to be prioritized, with opportunities for attractive “premium” destinations and sustained demand for affordable luxury.
• U.S. arrivals are projected to recover next year, with resilient opportunities in some European markets, making differentiation essential.

Brand USA Travel Week in Europe convened industry leaders to discuss the future of American travel, focusing on technology and personalization. Brand USA introduced the “America the Beautiful” campaign, which aims to boost international tourism to the U.S. by showcasing the country’s diverse people, stories and cultural experiences — ultimately driving economic impact ahead of major events in 2026, such as the FIFA World Cup, America 250 Celebration and Route 66 centennial.

Data & Trends

Weekly Hotel Metrics

Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending October 18, 2025, was 72.7% which was down 7.5% from the same week last year. The average daily rate (ADR) for the week was $210.40 which was up 8.5% from last year. Room night demand trailed last year by 5.9%. Orlando’s occupancy rate and ADR surpassed the national and Florida averages.

Around the Destination

Visit Orlando at Come Out With Pride Orlando Parade

Visit Orlando, in partnership with iHeartMedia, joined the celebration of Come Out With Pride Orlando with a parade float and an interactive booth at the festival, which was centered around Lake Eola Park and the surrounding downtown area. Visit Orlando’s participation is part of our year-round campaign, Orlando For All, which showcases Orlando as a welcoming destination for everyone. In addition to the float partnership with iHeartMedia, Visit Orlando’s campaign includes radio talent sharing reasons to visit Orlando on spot to air on iHeart Pride Radio.

The event drew thousands of attendees, and our booth featured games and giveaways from Visit Orlando members, creating meaningful engagement with the community and the opportunity to capture content to showcase our destination to future visitors.

Orlando Hotels Earn MICHELIN Key Distinction

On Oct. 8, The MICHELIN Guide unveiled its latest list of MICHELIN Key hotels, spotlighting outstanding stays across the globe. Among the newly honored properties, three Orlando hotels earned the One Key distinction:

• Ette Hotel 
• Lake Nona Wave Hotel 
• The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes 

Much like MICHELIN Stars for restaurants, MICHELIN Keys celebrate hotels that go above and beyond. Inspectors evaluate five universal criteria: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price and meaningful contribution to the neighborhood or setting. Our destination continues to shine as a place where innovation, authenticity and excellence come together to create remarkable experiences for every visitor. Congratulations to each of the hotels for this honor.

CFHLA Gives Scholarship Luncheon

The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (CFHLA) hosted its annual CFHLA Gives Scholarship Luncheon on Oct. 21, at the Embassy Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista South. The event honored CFHLA’s Adopt-A-School partners, awarded more than $160,000 in hospitality student and family member scholarships, and distributed nearly $18,000 in hospitality community and educational grants. Attendees also supported the CFHLA Cares Collection Drive, which raised an impressive 196,000 items for students in need across Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.

Visit Orlando Engaged!

Visit Orlando Champions Accessibility at Power Lunch

This week, Visit Orlando hosted a Power Lunch at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, highlighting the importance of accessibility for neurodiverse and sensory-sensitive travelers. With one in five U.S. families affected — and Orlando ranked as the No. 1 destination of interest for these guests — the session emphasized the value of empathy-driven hospitality and its economic potential.

Leading the conversation were three accessibility advocates: Kathy Brown, Visit Orlando’s vice president of marketing; Michelle DeVos, president and chief operating officer of Orlando Squeeze, and co-founder of Hamlin House; and Dr. Julian Maha, CEO and founder of KultureCity. Together, they shared practical strategies to help hospitality professionals create more sensory-accessible guest experiences — from affordable staff training and sensory tools to environmental design enhancements and mobile Sensory Activation Vehicles. Highlights included:

• Simple, affordable strategies to become sensory-accessible.
• The importance of staff training and certification.
• Sensory tools and accommodations for children and adults.
• Environmental design strategies adaptable to any budget or space.
• Real-world examples from KultureCity’s global impact.

Visit Orlando’s commitment to accessibility continues to position the region as a destination where every guest feels seen, supported and celebrated.

UCF Rosen College Students Shadow Visit Orlando at IMEX

At IMEX America 2025, the largest U.S. trade show for the global meetings and events industry, Visit Orlando partnered with UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management’s MPI Knights to support on-site activations and invest in future hospitality professionals. MPI Knights, the student chapter of Meeting Professionals International, connects students with industry leaders through site tours, guest speakers, workshops and networking events.

During Visit Orlando’s popular Wake Up with Visit Orlando breakfast event, the MPI Knights assisted with directional flow and greeting more than 400 clients and members. Following the breakfast, the students shadowed Visit Orlando sales representatives during scheduled business appointments, gaining insight into client engagement, destination promotion and relationship-building within a major international trade show environment.

Additionally, the group attended one of our booth presentations with Travis Binkley, Visit Orlando’s manager of business development, observing firsthand how Visit Orlando and its members present Orlando’s “Unbelievably Real” story to global buyers.

Visit Orlando’s partnership with Rosen College’s MPI Knights at IMEX demonstrates a strong commitment to developing future leaders in the hospitality and meetings industry. By actively involving students in high-profile industry events, Visit Orlando is investing in talent, providing hands-on experience, and strengthening its relationship with the next generation of professionals. This collaboration not only benefits the students through real-world learning and networking, but also reinforces Visit Orlando’s reputation as a leader in industry engagement and workforce development.

German Travel Professionals Explore Orlando

Last week, Visit Orlando welcomed 10 travel professionals from Germany for a joint familiarization (FAM) trip with VISIT FLORIDA, highlighting Orlando’s appeal to international visitors. Over three days, the group explored top attractions, including SeaWorld Orlando, Gatorland and an Orlando Magic game, before continuing aboard Brightline to South Florida. During their stay, Visit Orlando hosted a dedicated marketplace event where 10 member partners met with the German travelers to share product updates and provide resources aimed at boosting future sales to Orlando.

In the News

Tasty Chomps: Visit Orlando unveils “Orlando’s Kitchens,” the first-ever destination cookbook showcasing over 60 local chefs and recipes

Business Class: On life and leadership with Visit Orlando’s Casandra Matej

Only in Your State Podcast: Welcome to Orlando: The magic beyond the theme parks - states of discovery

Michelin: Star Power: How MICHELIN recognition is changing food scenes across the U.S.

Ragan : Top women in marketing honored in NYC: see the full list