Planners love Orlando

Orlando swept all major categories to rank No. 1 as the top choice among meeting planners for a major convention, trade show, conference or seminar, according to a survey by Metropoll, a nationally syndicated study conducted for the meeting industry.

“It’s rewarding and quite an honor to be recognized by nationwide meeting professionals with such high marks and praise,” said Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO Gary C. Sain. “Our entire meetings community has come together and worked tirelessly for many years to earn the respect and trust as a top meetings destination. This recognition of our efforts, along with our incredible hotel partners and the Orange County Convention Center team, in delivering the highest quality meetings experience at a good value, is validation that we are making a positive, discernible difference in the meetings industry.”

Florida has been especially hard hit by the curtailment of corporate travel resulting from the recession and negative publicity from the perceived extravagance of some high-profile corporate events. In fact, Orlando was among several cities on an unconfirmed “blacklist” of tourist hotspots by some federal agencies, concerned that meetings held at resort destinations might appear “lavish.” The city has worked hard to prove that it is more than a destination for some of the country’s top amusement parks. With a major convention center and plenty of competitively priced hotels with meeting space, the city is a serious contender for those planners focused on business and the bottom line.

The study surveyed more than 1,000 decision makers at major corporations and associations and asked them to rank 40 major U.S. destinations on a variety of factors including quality of hotel meeting facilities and convention center facilities; overall destination support; overall destination image; value for the money; location and “green” practices.

Among the key findings:
• Orlando ranked No. 1 overall as a convention destination.
• Orlando ranked No. 1 for intent to hold a major meeting in the next three years.
• Orlando ranked as the No. 1 destination among corporate meeting planners.
• Of 21 convention center attributes, Orlando ranked No. 1 on 15.
• Out of 25 travel destination attributes, Orlando ranked in the top 10 on 15.

Of the more than 60 attributes covered, Orlando received the top ranking on the following:
•    Overall evaluation as a convention site
•    Intent to hold corporate meeting in the next three years
•    Intent to hold association meeting in the next three years
•    Supportive convention bureau
•    Excellent convention center reputation
•    Wireless internet connections at convention center
•    Good audio-visual facilities at convention center
•    Good banquet facilities at convention center
•    Labor crew easy to work with at convention center
•    Competent management at convention center
•    Good food served at convention center
•    Adequate hotel rooms nearby convention center
•    Convention hotel adjacent to Center
•    Sufficient exhibit space at convention center
•    Adequate seating for large sessions at convention center
•    Adequate breakout rooms at convention center
•    Adequate trade exhibit facilities at convention center
•    Reasonable exhibit setup and service costs

More information about Orlando meetings is available at orlandomeeting.com.