Visit Orlando has launched a suite of eight enhanced websites to promote the Orlando region to all audiences, including domestic and international leisure visitors, meeting planners, meeting attendees, travel professionals, media and members. After extensive research to uncover the needs of Visit Orlando’s key audiences, VisitOrlando.com, OrlandoMeeting.com, VisitOrlando.org, MagicalDining.com and four new in-language websites, including Spanish, Portuguese, French Canadian and German are now live.

These websites serve as a gateway to our destination for all of our unique audiences around the world and offer new enhancements such as:

• A more modern and engaging design that makes it easier for users to navigate and embodies Visit Orlando’s Unbelievably Real brand.
• Better performance with shorter load times ensures a seamless and intuitive experience.
• Greater accessibility built into the design makes it easier for users with visual or hearing impairments.
• Multilingual support with more robust content for Spanish, Portuguese, French Canadian and German audiences.
• Dedicated neighborhood pages with improved navigation and interactive maps help visitors more easily discover new areas of our destination.

The redesign of Visit Orlando’s website began more than 18 months ago when the organization engaged Orlando-based research firm C3R to conduct extensive user testing. Following the results, Visit Orlando partnered with another Orlando-based company, Purple Rock Scissors, to transform the design of the websites implementing the latest best practices with research from user testing.

As one of the first opportunities our audiences have to connect with our destination and make decisions about how they spend their time and resources, it is critical we make the experience as helpful and meaningful as possible. Your Visit Orlando team worked incredibly hard to see this project through and create a best-in-class suite of websites that continue to elevate our destination storytelling and provide a platform for our members to reach broader audiences around the world.

Data & Trends

Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending June 1, 2024, was 61.2% which was down 1.8% from the same week last year. The average daily rate for the week was $173.41, down 1.1%. Room night demand trailed prior year by 1%.

April 2024 TDT Collections: Orange County's Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections, for the April 2024 TDT collection month, were $30,304,800. April 2024 collections were $3.3 million or 9.9% lower than April 2023 collections.

Hotel occupancy in April 2024 fell by 8% from the previous year, settling at 71.9% compared to 78.1%. Hotel room demand decreased by 6.9%. At $208.50, the average daily rate experienced a 3.8% decline from the previous year. The Easter holiday shift and the solar eclipse's path diverted travelers away from Orlando, and domestic travelers choosing international destinations played a role in this decline.

Memorial Day Weekend Recap: Metro Orlando’s hotel performance for the Memorial Day weekend showed a slight improvement over last year, with room demand for Friday through Sunday increasing by 1%.

Around the Destination

Orange County Public Schools’ State of Schools: Visit Orlando attended the Orange County Public Schools' "State of the Schools" address on Monday. During the event, Orange County School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs and Superintendent Maria Vazquez highlighted the progress of ongoing programs, addressed challenges, and discussed opportunities, including the proposed sales tax extension that funds campus renovations and construction throughout the county. Notably, over 50% of this sales tax revenue is generated by visitors to our region. The event also highlighted the enduring support of Harris Rosen through his ongoing initiatives in Tangelo Park, along with the scholarships provided by Travel + Leisure.

Building Better Together: Today, Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings delivered his 2024 State of the County message at the Orange County Convention Center. He reflected on the County's accomplishments and challenges from the past year, highlighting strategic public, private, and philanthropic partnerships that have fostered a community culture of Building Better Together. Watch the State of the County here.

Summer of Soccer in Orlando: The summer of international soccer kicks off this Wednesday, June 12, with the highly anticipated second annual "Allstate Continental Clásico” friendly at Camping World Stadium. The match features the U.S. Men's National Team against five-time World Cup champion Brazil in final preparations for the CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 tournament. 

Orlando, the official training home base for the Brazilian team during the tournament, will host a series of additional matches this summer, including Copa América matchups Chile vs. Canada on June 29 and Bolivia vs. Panama on July 1 at INTER&Co Stadium. Iconic teams Barcelona vs. Manchester City will also play at Camping World Stadium on July 30 as part of the FC Series. For more details on all the games, read the latest blog post on VisitOrlando.com.

Visit Orlando Engaged!

Dallas Pride Parade: This past weekend, Visit Orlando collaborated with iHeartMedia on a parade float in the Dallas Pride Parade. The float promoted Orlando as the place where “sunlight, fireworks and rainbows all shine” and featured local Dallas radio personalities. By participating in the Dallas Pride Parade, we reached an audience of 50,000 attendees and gained additional visibility with the parade broadcasted on a local television station. For more info about LGBTQ+ tourism in Orlando and this year's Pride Month activities, visit our Pride Month blog: Keep Dancing: Pulse Remembrance & Pride Month Events in Orlando

Legislative Action Day: Last week, Visit Orlando’s Directors of National Accounts, Vickie Keliher and Barb Herod, participated in the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance's Legislative Action Day on Capitol Hill. During their visit, they met with the congressional offices of Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, along with Representatives Maxwell Frost and Darren Soto. Their advocacy focused on key issues for the meetings and conventions industry, including reducing visa wait times and expanding workforce development opportunities.

Pride Golf Outing: Visit Orlando joined community and business leaders at the Pride Chamber’s annual Pride Cup Golf outing at Dubsdread Golf Course. The event is the largest LGBTQ+ golf tournament in the county and helps raise funds for the Chamber to promote and improve LGBTQ+ businesses and support the LGBTQ+ business community. In the past years, the event has raised almost $20,000. Our team of golfers included Jess Lott (Orlando Magic) and Visit Orlando’s Justin Leonard, Brian Lucero and Paul Rodriguez.

In the News

Yahoo (UK): I did Orlando Florida and Disney Orlando without the kids – it was even better

The Travel (Canada): 7 cheapest places to visit in the U.S. before summer prices hit

U.S. News & World Report: 30 fun things to do in Florida (beyond the theme parks)