Orlando is home to 60 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants and a dining scene that continues to evolve. Yet many travelers still don't think of Orlando as a destination for food-focused travel.
Research shows that 28% of travelers take trips specifically for food and cuisine, yet only 13% consider Orlando for that type of travel experience. The gap comes at a time when foodie travel continues to grow in popularity. According to the State of the American Traveler study, foodie trips are the top travel trend for 2026, with 62.8% of travelers saying a foodie trip is appealing.
To change perceptions and help more travelers discover Orlando's dining scene, Visit Orlando launched a new Full of Surprises culinary campaign designed to showcase our destination culinary experiences and drive incremental visitation. View the 30-second Full of Surprises culinary TV ad.
A banner from Visit Orlando’s new Full of Surprises culinary campaign highlights Orlando’s 60 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants.
Running Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the campaign combines broadcast television integrations in Atlanta and Chicago, national digital video and digital display advertising, and paid social media. The effort targets food-focused travelers and is expected to generate nearly 44 million impressions.
Leveraging authentic storytelling, the campaign also highlights Orlando’s culinary story through dedicated television features:
On WGN-TV's “Daytime Chicago,” the host will explore Orlando's neighborhoods, restaurants, talented chefs and diverse dining scene with stops including Winter Garden’s Norgami, Mills 50’s Mills Market and Ravenous Pig in Winter Park.
On WSB Atlanta's “Destination Discovered,” viewers will learn about Orlando, our restaurants and cuisine, directly from local chefs and explore restaurants including Domu, Osteria Ester and MICHELIN 2-Star Sorekara. Watch the WSB Atlanta “Destination Discovered” segment.
Together, these efforts are designed to increase awareness of Orlando as a destination where food is part of the travel experience and encourage more foodie travelers to put Orlando on their list.
Hispanic Heritage Month in Orlando features vibrant cultural celebrations, live entertainment, specialty dining and more through Oct. 15.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month In Orlando
Observed annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the culture, history and contributions of U.S. citizens with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. With more than 35% of Central Florida's population identifying as Hispanic or Latino, Orlando marks the occasion with cultural festivals, live performances, special dining experiences and other events throughout the destination.
To help showcase Orlando's vibrant Hispanic and Latino community, Visit Orlando partnered with local content creator Kevin Barillas to highlight family-owned restaurants and the stories behind them. Through a dedicated blog and social media content, Kevin explored local favorites including JJ's Scratch Cocina, Alma Argentina, Crocante Restaurant + Bar and Reyes Mezcaleria, inspiring visitors and residents to experience the flavors, traditions and cultural influences that help make Orlando unique.
With one week remaining in Hispanic Heritage Month, residents and visitors can explore additional ways to celebrate and support Orlando's Hispanic and Latino community.
Travel performance softened in August with declines in both leisure and convention business, as August is traditionally a slower month with the summer travel season winding down. Looking ahead, the hotel room demand outlook for Sept. - Dec. is pacing 6% ahead of last year.
Weekly Metrics
Metro Orlando’s hotel occupancy rate for the week ending Oct. 3 was 66%, up 17.3% from the same week last year. Room night demand surpassed last year by 16.6%. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) for the week was $194.21, up 11.8% from last year.
Visit Orlando Engaged!
Laura Kreutzer, Visit Orlando’s travel industry sales director for North America, and Orlando partners connect with Delta Vacations to help travel advisors better promote our destination to travelers.
Delta Vacations Customer Engagement Center Training
Visit Orlando recently partnered with Delta Vacations to host a full-day destination training at the Delta Vacations Customer Engagement Center in Minot, North Dakota, helping reservation and customer service professionals deepen their knowledge of Orlando and the many experiences available throughout our destination. The event also connected Delta Vacations team members with Orlando partners during a trade show-style networking session featuring Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, Caribe Royale Orlando, Renaissance Orlando Resort at Disney Springs and The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando.
The training highlighted Orlando's attractions, accommodations, dining and outdoor experiences, giving front-line travel professionals the knowledge and confidence to share our destination's story with travelers. Opportunities like these help strengthen relationships with valued partners while keeping Orlando top of mind when travelers are planning their next vacation.
Adeta Gayah, Visit Orlando’s senior director of social media & content.
Sharing Visit Orlando's Content Strategy At Content Marketing World
Adeta Gayah, Visit Orlando’s senior director of social media and content, recently shared how authentic storytelling, creator partnerships and human connection can strengthen audience engagement and drive business results during a featured session at Content Marketing World in Denver. Hosted by the Women in Content Marketing Association, the discussion brought together women leaders to share ideas and best practices shaping the future of content marketing.
Joining marketing leaders from brands including Bagel Brands, Eagle Creek and Masthead, Adeta participated in the panel discussion, "What If We Did It Differently? 3 Brand Stories, 3 Big Ideas."
Using Visit Orlando’s partnership with Happy2Find as a case study, she shared the story behind the Moments in Between campaign, exploring the insight that sparked a new approach, the actions taken to focus on moments of connection rather than spectacle, and the impact authentic storytelling had on audience engagement and business results.
L to R: Visit Orlando’s Kristin Westover and Destiny Vega deliver stuffed animals to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.
We Serve: CSR Activities Give Back To Community
Giving back is an important part of who we are at Visit Orlando and reflects one of our core values, We Serve. This week, team members came together to stuff and personalize more than 125 stuffed animals, placing a heart inside each one with a handwritten wish before donating them to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. The stuffed animals will help bring comfort to young patients and provide prizes for children participating in Seacrest Studios game shows.
At the recent Marketing & Communications Summit, team members also assembled 50 KultureCity Sensory Bags, helping make experiences throughout our destination more accessible and comfortable for neurodivergent individuals.
Across the Industry
Visit Orlando honored for connecting planners with trusted local partners in the Northstar Stella Awards.
Visit Orlando Wins Prestigious Meetings Industry Award
Visit Orlando earned a Gold 2026 Northstar Stella Award for Best CVB/DMO in the Southeast. Presented by one of the meetings industry's leading publications, the awards recognize organizations that deliver exceptional service and experiences for meeting professionals.
Selected from nearly 8,000 votes and a record-breaking 1,167 nominations, Visit Orlando was recognized for connecting planners with trusted local partners, innovative resources and memorable group experiences, including enhancements to the Orlando Virtual Tours platform. This recognition reinforces Orlando's position as a leading meetings destination and reflects our ongoing commitment to helping planners create successful events and meaningful experiences for their attendees.
A Seat At The Table: Celebrating Central Florida’s Culinary Community
Join Winter Park Institute (WPI) and Visit Orlando on Monday, October 26, at The Ravenous Pig for a WPI Reflect Forum Dinner featuring cocktails, a José Andrés-inspired buffet dinner and a conversation with cookbook author Pam Brandon, Chef James Petrakis of The Ravenous Pig, Jamilyn Salonga Bailey of Kaya, and Mike Garcia of Everoak Farm. Inspired by José Andrés’ keynote conversation hosted by WPI on October 20 at Rollins College, the evening will explore Central Florida’s culinary strengths, opportunities for collaboration and the role food can play in caring for our neighbors.
L to R: John Roth, Visit Orlando; Mara Roth, Guest; Yolonda McGriff, Valencia College; Dr. Alex Erdmann, Valencia College; Dr. Kathleen Plinske, Valencia College; Kristin Westover, Visit Orlando; Charles Hawkins, Charles Hawkins P.A.; Arnaldo Oliveras, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando; and Eileen Zayas, Guest
Valencia College Celebrates 60 Years Of Impact
Visit Orlando was honored to attend the Valencia College Foundation's Red, Black and Boundless Gala, celebrating 60 years of Valencia College's commitment to transforming lives and strengthening Central Florida. Held at EPCOT's World ShowPlace Pavilion, the event recognized the achievements of Valencia students and alumni while highlighting the college's lasting impact on our region's workforce and community.
As a longtime partner of Valencia College, we are proud to support an institution that helps prepare the future workforce of our destination. For six decades, Valencia has created pathways to education, career growth and opportunity, helping students build meaningful careers while strengthening the talent pipeline that supports Central Florida's travel and tourism industry and broader economy.
