Visit Orlando Announces New Sales, Marketing Plans for 2013

Striving to continue Orlando’s record-breaking visitation momentum, Visit Orlando announced several new initiatives for 2013 to position Orlando for development and growth in several new key markets including India, China, Quebec and Germany, along with significant new broadcast initiatives and convention sales and marketing outreach.

Visit Orlando recently joined forces with Visit Florida to begin representation in the emerging travel market of India. The new office, with headquarters in Mumbai, will focus on educating travel professionals on Orlando and Florida as leisure destinations. India has the world’s second-largest population at 1.15 billion, with approximately 450 million citizens in possession of current passports. Travel from India to the U.S. is dominated by families and reached 660,000 visitors in 2011.

Visit Orlando partnered with Visit Florida in 2009 to become one of the few United States destinations to have representation in China. As visitation from China to the United States continues to show strong growth (more than 1 million in 2011), Visit Orlando will expand its presence with a full-time, dedicated Orlando trade representative in Shanghai beginning in 2013. With more capacity, Orlando will enhance its activities including tradeshows, training and publicity.

Canada is Orlando’s top international market and in 2013 Visit Orlando will expand its efforts by adding additional marketing and advertising presence in the Montreal and Quebec markets. These efforts will include an integrated advertising campaign, promotions and more focused publicity and travel trade initiatives.

In the first quarter, Visit Orlando and St. Pete/Clearwater are returning to the German market in a cooperative campaign along with Visit Florida, Brand USA and tour operator FTI. This is the first cooperative advertising campaign in nearly a decade for Visit Orlando and St. Pete/Clearwater and will include print and out of home advertising focused on German couples. Research has shown that the German consumers like to combine an Orlando vacation with trips to the St. Pete/Clearwater area.

Next year Visit Orlando will host five major meetings industry events. Professional Convention Management Association, Society of Incentive and Travel Executives, Destination Marketing Association International, Helms Briscoe Annual Meeting and the Society of Government Meeting Planners are all scheduled to meet in Orlando allowing these groups to experience Orlando’s numerous new attractions, hotels, convention space, dining and entertainment options.

Increased presence in broadcast productions has been a focus for Visit Orlando and in 2012 Visit Orlando secured more than 187 hours of television productions focusing on travel to Orlando. In 2013, Visit Orlando will produce its own syndicated television show to air on cable travel focused channels as well as continue its focus on broadcast opportunities. Produced locally, the program will highlight Orlando’s attractions, hotels, dining, shopping and entertainment options.

Source: Travel Pulse, http://www.travelpulse.com/visit-orlando-announces-new-sales-marketing-plans-for-2013.html