While much uncertainty still surrounds the future of travel, this week’s headlines point to signs of hope on the horizon.
The biggest story, of course, is the rapid progress being made toward a COVID-19 vaccine. On the local level, we’re also seeing our share of promising developments, from Walt Disney World Resort raising guest capacity limits to Orlando International Airport adding more domestic and international flights.
And, according to recent data from travel marketing firm Sojern, Orlando is American travelers’ No.1 trending destination for 2021.
Here are this week’s key local tourism updates, including a look at some of Visit Orlando’s current marketing activities to position our destination for success in the months to come.
Black Friday / Cyber Monday Offers
To foster holiday visitation and planning for 2021, Visit Orlando has researched and assembled an impressive list of Black Friday / Cyber Monday offers, including theme parks, attractions, hotels and retailers. We are promoting the deals in our online channels, publicity programs and consumer e-newsletters, and Visit Orlando's Black Friday blog ranks as the top organic Google search result when consumers use “Orlando Black Friday” search terms. To maximize your own reach, please make sure to let us know of your deals.
Leading the Way in Safe Meetings
As our convention sales team continues to help build confidence in the return of safe meetings, we have been sharing our destination’s safety measures through in-person and virtual presentations to hundreds of industry professionals over the past few weeks. We’ve also capitalized on several virtual meetings with ConferenceDirect associates to generate business opportunities for corporate and association clients.
In the same spirit of progress, congratulations to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort for hosting a successful three-day, in-person conference connecting event planners and suppliers. “Meetings Today LIVE! South” wrapped up Wednesday as a great real-world example of our convention hotels’ leadership in this area.
Orlando Gateway Earns Gold Standard in Hygiene
Congratulations to Orlando International Airport and the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport for earning STAR accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, the industry gold standard for cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques and related efforts to combat COVID-19. This certification, which further increases consumer confidence in travel to our destination, is also held by the Orange County Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Read more
Visit Orlando's Annual Meeting
Register today for Visit Orlando’s Annual Meeting, held virtually Dec. 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. Prepare for an engaging online experience that includes important industry updates, how Visit Orlando plans to support you and your business in the coming year, and an exciting community donation to this year's Magical Dining charity, Feed the Need Florida.
Tourism Research and Insights
Hotel Metrics: Metro Orlando's occupancy rate for the week ending Nov. 13 was 32.7%, up from 31.9% the previous week. Average daily rate fell $2.09 to $81.49. For the month of October, our market saw its highest occupancy rate (35.1%) since March, up from 31.4% in September. Weekend leisure stays and short-term booking windows continued to be top trends.
Orlando Air Travel: This Thanksgiving season, air travel at Orlando International Airport is set to reach approximately 50% of pre-COVID-19 levels, with six days expected to see traffic above 40,000 daily departures. Contributing to the news, more airlines are offering or plan to offer additional or renewed service during the holiday season at Orlando International.
National Travel Sentiment: America's recent spike in COVID-19 cases is negatively impacting desire for leisure travel over the next three months, according to a national survey by Destination Analysts. However, the announcement of a viable vaccine has improved feelings of traveling safely later in 2021. Almost 80% of Americans say they have at least tentative leisure trips planned over the next 12 months.
