submitted by Greg Smith, Visit Orlando
“This past year proved to be a key recovery timeframe for Orlando’s tourism industry, with a lot of pent-up demand from our top US and international markets,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO for Visit Orlando. “Our new international brand launch and strong commitment to strategic sales and marketing initiatives, combined with our destination’s continuous evolution of new unbelievably real experiences, helped Orlando maintain its leadership position and achieve strong visitation numbers.”
74 million annual visitors in 2022
Visit Orlando shared the news as part of National Travel & Tourism Week, the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, to a gathering of more than 900 tourism and community leaders. Visit Orlando, The Official Tourism Association® for Orlando, announced 74 million annual visitors in 2022. With a 25% increase in visitors over 2021, Orlando maintains its leadership position as America’s most-visited destination.
The visitation uptick comes off the back of Visit Orlando’s new Unbelievably Real brand launch, first introduced in May 2022 to domestic visitors followed by an international marketing campaign in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru.
The comprehensive campaigns reached 54% of Orlando’s target market households and generated more than $8 billion in additional future direct visitor spending equating to $359 in visitor spending for each dollar of media spent.
Domestic Leisure Visitation
In 2022, domestic leisure visitation completely recovered and reached a new record at 61 million, while US business visitation is still in recovery mode:
• United States: 69,141,000 (21% increase YoY) o Leisure:61,201,000
o Business:7,940,000
• Canada: 860,700
International visitation recovered to 75% of pre-pandemic, reaching 4.9 million in 2022. Canada, UK and Brazil were the top three international origin markets to Orlando.
• United Kingdom: 809,000
• Brazil: 575,000
• Mexico: 394,000
• Colombia: 287,000
In 2023, Orlando, Theme Park Capital of the World, continues to grow with an exciting lineup of new experiences for visitors to enjoy – from a new eco-friendly, high speed rail service connecting Orlando and Miami to theme park experiences including a first-of-its-kind diabolical family attraction inspired by the Minions to the world’s first surf coaster.
Visit Orlando
Visit Orlando is The Official Tourism Association® for Orlando, the most visited destination in the United States, Theme Park Capital of the World® and No. 1 meeting destination in the country. A not-for-profit trade association that brands, markets and sells the Orlando destination globally, we represent more than 1,300 member companies comprising every segment of Central Florida’s tourism community.
Visit Orlando connects consumers and business groups with all facets of Orlando’s travel community, whether for a vacation or meeting. Home to seven of the world’s top theme parks — as well as refreshing water parks, activities to connect with nature, vibrant neighborhoods, a dynamic dining scene with Michelin recognized restaurants, and a robust calendar of entertainment and sports events.
Orlando is a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive community for all travelers. Find more information here and here .
