TAKE
with Official tourism association for America’s most-visited destination.
Representing Our Entire Destination How Visit Orlando works to strenghten our region’s No. 1 industry . . . and our community as a whole. Q&A with George Aguel President & CEO, Visit Orlando
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ou’ve probably seen where Orlando set another tourism record in 2018, welcoming 75 million people to remain America’s most visited destination, well ahead of iconic cities such as New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. But how much do you know about the only organization tasked with promoting the entire Orlando destination on a global scale? Here, Visit Orlando President & CEO George Aguel answers some commonly asked questions about our destination’s official tourism association.
What is Visit Orlando’s role in growing and supporting our tourism industry? Our job is to brand, market and sell Orlando as the No. 1 destination for a vacation or business event. As a not-for-profit trade association, we have a diverse membership base of companies that span every sector of the tourism industry. We also serve as the voice of Orlando’s tourism industry, providing research, insights and timely communications to members and our community leaders.
Celebrating another record year for visitation, Visit Orlando President & CEO George Aguel (right) soaks in the moment with Visit Orlando Board Chair Adrian Jones (left) and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.
40 | JULY 2019 | i4Biz.com
Why is increasing visitation important for our community? Simply put, the more people visit Orlando, the more jobs we create and the more money flows into our community. Tourism supports 41% of our workforce, generates $70 billion in annual economic impact and provides $5.5 billion in local and state taxes. It also provides our residents access to an abundance of amenities like shopping, dining, sports and
