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Tourism
Big Shoes: Central Fla. Tourism
Two tourism industry leaders are filling big shoes left by their predecessors this year as they struggle to boost growth in leisure travel to Orlando.
 MAGIC TOUCH : Disney's Year of a Million Dreams campaign -- which includes surprising a guest every day with a one-night stay for six at the Cinderella Castle -- aims to boost tourism. [Photo: Gene Duncan] |
"Central Florida is competing with hundreds of destinations today because information is so accessible online," says Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort. In August, Crofton replaced Al Weiss, who is now president of all Disney parks and resorts worldwide.
Leaders who wondered whether Crofton would become as active in the community as Weiss -- who helped secure the Burnham Institute and the University of Central Florida medical school -- got their answer earlier this year when Crofton pledged her company's support for the performing arts center in downtown Orlando.
Crofton plans to work closely with new Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau President Gary Sain. Formerly a partner at hospitality advertising firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, Sain replaced Bill Peeper, who retired after 22 years.
A 2006 study by Harris Interactive recommended that Orlando focus its marketing on its strongest market segment: Families with children. The CVB's new marketing slogan, "Built for families. Made for memories," has been criticized for not being clever enough. Sain says his staff has built in accountability measures to make sure the campaign gets the desired results. If not, he says, they'll fine-tune it.
"There are high expectations for it and rightly so," Sain says.
