Dubai (May 4, 2015)
– Visit Orlando, the destination’s official tourism association, today
announced that more than 62 million people visited Orlando in 2014. The
announcement marks a new all-time record for the U.S. travel industry,
solidifying Orlando’s position as the most visited destination in the
nation. Visitation grew five percent from 2013 as visitors from around
the world came to experience all that is new across the ever-expanding
destination.
“This historic
milestone is the latest testament to Orlando’s leadership in tourism,”
said Visit Orlando President and CEO George Aguel. “It’s a tribute to
the steadfast commitment and continued investment by our tourism
community, the special brand of service that greets our visitors and the
global marketing and sales efforts of our Visit Orlando team and member
companies.”
A record 32 million
room nights were sold in Orlando in 2014, resulting in bed tax
collections topping $200 million for the first time in Orange County,
Fla., home to the Central Florida tourism district.
“The impact of tourism
on our community is remarkable, and in fact, the travel and tourism
industry is the largest generator of jobs and economic impact for our
region,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. “In addition to
delighting visitors and families from around the world, our travel and
hospitality industry helps to support a great quality of life for
Orlando’s residents, including our amazing new performing arts center
and outstanding sports venues.”
To meet the needs of a
growing number of visitors, Orange County has made investments in
infrastructure, including investing in an important expansion and
renovation of the nationally recognized Orange County Convention
Center.
"Passing the 60
million annual visitors mark is a significant achievement for Orlando
and the U.S. travel industry that generates $2.1 trillion for the U.S.
economy each year," said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger
Dow. "Thanks to the close partnership among members of Orlando's
tourism community and strong leadership by public officials and Visit
Orlando, this popular destination known around the world is well
positioned to continue setting records in tourism."
In 2014, Walt Disney
World Resort completed New Fantasyland, and The Wizarding World of Harry
Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort opened. Visitors to
Orlando in 2015 will experience the first full year of these exciting
expansions that opened in 2014 and be the first to see several new
attractions, including I-Drive 360, featuring a trio of new attractions
from Merlin Entertainments, as well as a multi-year transformation of
Downtown Disney into Disney Springs.
In recent years, the
Orlando experience has also become more diverse, attracting an
increasingly wide range of visitors. Foodies find a surprisingly
sophisticated culinary destination, recognized with more "Best of the
South" chef nominations by the prestigious James Beard Foundation than
any city in Florida for three straight years. Luxury travelers are drawn
to the five-star service at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando that opened
six months ago, as well as the Ritz-Carlton Orlando and Waldorf Astoria
Orlando.
Visitors are also
discovering exciting new venues in which to enjoy the arts and
professional sports, like the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts
and the Major League Soccer stadium coming to Downtown Orlando in 2016.
