Orlando has a lot to celebrate after 2018 proved to be a strong year in tourism. Our local tourism industry grew at its fastest pace since 2014 and added nearly 13,000 local jobs.
In addition to the industry growth, the average daily room rate set at an all-time high. Hotel occupancy levels continued to be above state and national averages as well. And it is clear to see that hotel construction is on the rise all over town.
To top it off, Orange County had its best fiscal year ever for collections of tourist development tax. And, Orlando International, which is Florida’s busiest airport, saw passenger traffic increase more than five percent. Visit Orlando expects to announce historic visitation totals for 2018 when they make the official announcement in May.
“1,000 leaders across our tourism industry and community gathered for Visit Orlando’s Annual Meeting & Luncheon, a fitting way to put the finishing touches on a stellar 2018,” Visit Orlando President & CEO George Aguel said after his end of the year event. Enthusiasm is high across the industry and expectations will also be high for 2019.
As Orlando’s top industry, when times are good for tourism, hopefully it will translate to better economic times for residents and workers.
