Orlando Tourism Holding Its Own

Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest roller coaster

Amid concerns about the U.S. economy, Orlando’s tourism industry appears to be holding its own. Central Florida saw 2.6% more visitors in 2007 and expects a similar increase this year, says Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Those numbers wouldn’t have excited tourism officials a few years ago, but traditional ways of measuring the industry’s health are changing. Hotels that used to gauge performance by occupancy rates are now satisfied to meet or exceed their tourist tax revenue numbers. The good news: The area brought in 7% more tourism tax money last year than in 2006, and overnight visits increased by 6.5%.

Attendance at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom hit 17 million for the first time in 2007, keeping it at the top of the list of the world’s busiest theme parks. Other Orlando parks saw growth as well — most notably, Animal Kingdom’s 6.5% increase, attributed to its new Expedition Everest roller coaster.

Still, tourism leaders are on edge as cautious travelers wait until the last minute to book hotels and air fare. That’s why the industry can’t let its guard down, Sain says. His agency is bracing for a cut in marketing dollars next year when some of its local tourist-tax revenue shifts to construction of downtown entertainment venues.

This year, Orlando is gaining traction at the end of its most expensive tourism marketing program ever, a two-year, $68-million blitz that includes the area’s first national TV ad campaign.

Coincidentally, the state also launched its first national TV ad campaign this year. Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency, projects the seven-week, $8.65-million “Sunshine” campaign will generate an additional $503 million in visitor spending and $30.2 million in sales-tax revenue for 2008.

Gary Sain

Tourism Strategy

With 48 million visitors in 2007, Orlando accounts for about 60% of Florida’s tourism, Sain says. He and the CVB are pushing several strategies to keep visitors coming. Among them:

• Focus on “medical tourism,” conferences and meetings of healthcare professionals. This dovetails with plans for a new “medical city” cluster of biotech, hospital and academic projects under construction on Orlando’s east side.
• Continue last year’s “Endless Summer” campaign aimed at bringing adult travelers to town when the theme parks quiet down after school starts.
• Position Orlando as a “lifelong brand,” pointing out that it takes 90 days to see everything the area has to offer visitors.

Tags: Dining & Travel, Central