The Orlando tourism industry is on track for an increase in tourist numbers this year, with the tourist destination in Orlando performing steadily even as domestic travel as a whole is sluggish, thanks to an influx of tourists from overseas and efforts to promote attractions other than theme parks. riding on.
However, current hotel data indicates the Orlando market is returning to more normalized pre-pandemic travel patterns.
Visit Orlando, Orlando’s tourism marketing organization, said hotels in the Orlando metropolitan area experienced a 2.4% decline in occupancy and a 0.9% decline in demand from the beginning of the year through August compared to the same period last year. reported. ADR remained relatively flat with a slight increase of 0.1% over the same period, while RevPAR decreased by 2.3%.
These hotel performance metrics are supported by Orlando’s steady visitor numbers of approximately 74 million visitors last year, which grew by 25% to 6.1 million in 2023 in the international tourism sector. .
Visit Orlando CEO Casandra Matej said, “While we saw a slight decline domestically, overall international growth was very strong.”
Orlando’s experience is similar to that across the U.S., with domestic leisure growth slowing in 2023 after surging in 2022 as travel resumed.
Maria Henson, Visit Orlando’s senior director of market research and insights, said Visit Orlando expects a modest 1% to 2% increase in overall visitor numbers in 2024. Matei added that the destination’s fourth quarter has traditionally been strong, thanks to Halloween celebrations and the holiday season, which should help drive a solid year-end.
The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association also reported a “slight lull” in demand this summer, CEO Robert Agruza said, as many U.S. travelers headed to overseas destinations like Europe. He noted that some chose to fly or returned to the sea after the pandemic prolonged the cruise industry. A pause in time.
But Agrusa said there is optimism that 2025 will be a strong year with the long-awaited third theme park at Universal Orlando Resort.
“A new theme park, Epic Universe, will open in our destination next year,” he said, calling the expansion “a huge opportunity for our community.”
Epic Universe includes Universal Helios Grand Hotel as well as more than 50 attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences. (Two additional properties, Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort, are scheduled to open adjacent to the park by the first quarter of next year.)
Katie Coleman, a travel advisor at Florida-based Superfamily Travelistics, said that while Disney-focused business remains strong, demand for Universal Studios among clients has waned. reported to be decreasing.
“I think this speaks to the fact that people are waiting for ‘Epic Universe’ because it’s coming out next year,” she said. “People are cautious and curious.”
But Visit Orlando’s Henson said concerns about declining visitor numbers due to future openings are not reflected in the data.
“If you look at all the big openings going back to the ’90s, we don’t see a huge lag in visitation,” Henson said. “We have so many visitors, even if they haven’t been here in the last three, five or seven years, there are an incredible number of new products and experiences that are new to them. I guess.”
Outdoor Activities in Orlando
Epic Universe isn’t the only demand driver in Orlando’s recent spotlight.
To diversify the visitor base, Visit Orlando and other tourism stakeholders actively promote the destination’s expanding natural and cultural attractions.
“Sometimes people don’t think of us as an outdoor destination, but we actually have a lot of ecotourism going on,” said Visit Orlando’s Matei, explaining the region’s outdoor attractions. Examples include activities such as kayaking and swimming with manatees in local springs.
Matei also spoke about Orlando’s rapid growth, including Broadway-caliber shows at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the Blue Man Group, which will return to Orlando next year at Icon Park on International Drive. It emphasized the artistic and cultural scene.
Superfamily Travelistic’s Coleman said some of her clients are interested in diversifying their Orlando itineraries, such as cutting back on expensive theme park stays in favor of other local experiences. He said that some people are showing this.
“I’m seeing families in this price range heading to vacation rentals. They’re not staying in the Disney bubble, so I’m helping them find other things to do in Orlando.” said Coleman. We typically suggest options like an NBA game at the Kia Center, a visit to Gatorland, or a trip to the Kennedy Space Center.
Agrusa, of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, predicted that Orlando’s reputation as a destination will continue to evolve as the city further matures.
“You know, we’re still relatively young in the grand scheme of things. We’re only 60 or 70 years old as a community,” he said. “We have a culture that has grown here with our employee base and the people who have decided to call this home home, and with that comes everything from music to art to museums and other things that have never been traditional. All these new experiences are emerging.” Like many older metropolitan areas, it’s our destination. ”
