Once again, Orlando has been named America's No. 1 meetings destination, according to Cvent, a global event management company that analyzed booking data from more than U.S. 5,000 cities.

We lead the pack for a variety of reasons - affordability, accessibility, quality and variety of facilities, positive brand awareness about Orlando - and, of course, our culture of service and hospitality.

Looking ahead, I'm encouraged that our elected officials continue to put a priority on expanding the Convention Center, a move that will help reinforce our leadership position in the convention industry in an increasingly competitive landscape.