Year after year, Cvent names Orlando the No. 1 meetings destination in the U.S. From small meetings groups to conventions with thousands of participants, Orlando accommodates them all in style. Why? This ever-popular event destination tempts first-time visitors and returning groups with new and refurbished properties, award-winning restaurants and unforgettable experiences in area theme parks and other attractions.
“Orlando excels at creating unforgettable meeting experiences for groups of any size,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO, Visit Orlando. “Whether planners need a large convention center for a major show or a quaint restaurant for an executive dinner, our destination offers flexible meeting space, convention and boutique hotels, large entertainment complexes and intimate dining experiences, all guaranteed to provide organizers with extensive options to accommodate their group’s needs.”
But it isn’t just Cvent and Visit Orlando saying this—we found planners think so, too. We spoke with a few meeting planners across a variety of industries, from fishing to healthcare and technology, to discover why this destination is at the top of their lists.
[Related: Visit Orlando's President and CEO on What's New in the Destination]
ICAST 2024
On July 16, the world’s largest sportfishing tradeshow—The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST 2024—opened its doors at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) to nearly 14,000 attendees and exhibitors. A varied agenda included educational seminars, networking experiences with industry leaders and a tradeshow that showcased the latest industry gear.
This year, the annual event brought in fishing aficionados from 75 nations from as far away as Australia, Japan and South Africa, and as close as Orlando’s own backyard. Conveniently, 20% of members of the Sport Fishing Association are based in Florida and 47% have the luxury of driving in, mainly from the southeast.
“Our attendees are mom-and-pop stores from all over, and large chains including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s,” said Blake Swango, vice president, trade show and membership, American Sportfishing Association, based in Alexandria, Virginia.
Now in its 67th year, the show once convened in Las Vegas. Swango admits he was a bit surprised when he came on board in 2016 to find the show was held in Las Vegas rather than Florida, widely regarded as the “fishing capital of the world.”
Since moving back to Orlando, he insists the show is more affordable and the convention center is easy to work with.
“Attendance in Orlando has skyrocketed. When the show was in Las Vegas, attendees came in later and later to the show floor,” he added, jokingly.
Swango said Orlando’s airport is a plus, too, for its ease in getting to and from the city, the restaurants are walkable and the theme parks excite families arriving early or staying after the show. And of course, there is the fishing.
Highlights of ICAST 2024 include ICAST’s expansive On The Water event on five acres of water and open space outside OCCC’s North Building, which is a key destination for buyers and media for testing the latest rods, reels, tackle, kayaks and even hopping aboard a 32-foot center console fishing boat to see Garmin’s latest GPS-enabled depth finders and radars.
“Once the convention center’s building manager showed us the body of water, we thought it could work for demos. It also kept everyone on site. It really makes for a cool feature,” Swango said.
The tradeshow also incorporates daily Lunch & Learn seminars on industry trends, website tips and improving sales, among other topics, and stages a New Product Showcase Preview Reception to vote for the “Best of Category” competition. Also on the agenda is ICAST Cup Bass Fishing Tournament at Kissimmee’s Big Toho Marina, a Lunkers & Bunkers golf outing at Celebration Golf Club and ample time to network with fellow industry folk during the three-day event.
Hilton Orlando was the host hotel, but with almost 9,000 attendees needing rooms, 11 other hotels were added to the mix including Rosen Centre, Rosen Shingle Creek, Castle Autograph Collection and Hyatt Regency Orlando.
Swango also noted that Orlando is a great spot for manufacturers to entertain their customers “by taking them to Topgolf, or Ole Red, Blake Shelton’s popular country western bar. One year, one of our knife manufacturers invited customers to see their filet knives in action at Oceanaire Seafood Room,” he said.
The future looks bright for the Orlando and ICAST partnership. The show is committed through 2028, with dates on hold through 2032.
[Related: Orange County Convention Center Announces New Partnership with Walt Disney World]
HIMSS Global
In March, the largest gathering of worldwide healthcare technology professionals convened in Orlando for the 2024 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition that included an impressive roster of public health officials, data scientists and practitioners. Representing more than 70 countries, attendees explored myriad global health topics shaping healthcare. Speakers presented general education sessions and more than 1,000 exhibitors showcased their latest achievements in healthcare technology, services and devices.
When choosing a destination, Mia Cangelosi, operations manager, HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition, Informa Markets, said Orlando works well for their conference thanks to its proximity to the East Coast and several large regional medical centers; its recognition as a global destination for professional events, entertainment and leisure; and its exceptional service infrastructure.
“Attendees and staff alike enjoy the incredible weather, dining options and accommodations during their time in Orlando and we continue to receive positive feedback on this event location,” Cangelosi said.
“We were so fortunate to work with such amazing offsite venues this past year. Visit Orlando played an important role in putting me in contact with the key sales team members to make our events happen,” she added.
Memorable events during the conference took advantage of Orlando’s world-famous attractions. One included an exclusive dinner at Epcot’s World Showcase, featuring mouthwatering cuisine and entertainment from around the globe. The evening continued with a private fireworks show, followed by VIP access to the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Mission: Space rides.
[Related: 10 Expert Tips for Planning Events at Theme Parks]
“The following night we experienced a perfect evening at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove, where we enjoyed a private luau featuring a fantastic Hawaiian performance,” Cangelosi said. “We also had the incredible opportunity to interact with a sloth, a parrot and Discovery Cove’s dolphins! The laid-back and tranquil atmosphere helped create the ideal environment we wanted after the conference hustle and bustle.”
The grand finale on the last night was an exclusive reception at Universal’s CityWalk and Islands of Adventure for 2,500 attendees.
“We loved having private access to all the CityWalk restaurants, along with an amazing DJ, strolling entertainment throughout including stilt walkers and fire twirlers who got everyone excited. The dessert reception served up sweets at a section of Islands of Adventure where we also experienced rides like The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Dr. Doom’s Fearfall and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,” she said.
Smaller receptions were held at Pointe Orlando, a dining, entertainment and shopping complex on International Drive.
“Within walking distance of the Orange County Convention Center, JoJo’s Shake BAR and The Hampton Social were perfect venues to host these receptions,” she added.
STAREAST, a Techwell Event
STAREAST, a Techwell Event, the world’s leading conference for software testing and quality, has consistently chosen Orlando’s Rosen Centre Hotel for “literally decades,” said Alison Wade, president of Techwell, based in Jacksonville, Florida.
“We’ve been coming to Rosen Centre since 1997, year after year, because they are such a great partner,” she said. “First of all, the layout of the resort works well for us. They understand conventions and they built their hotel to be a convention center hotel with nice big, wide corridors, so if there is another group in house, we’re not tripping over each other.”
Often, STAREAST, which welcomes 1,500 attendees from about 15 countries, takes over most of the space in the Rosen Centre for their in-person and virtual event. Speakers from the likes of Lockheed Martin, Ford, IBM and Bose Corp. explore topics from test automation to career development in the industry. Wade even conducts a seminar on “Women in the Software Field.”
On the first evening, an opening reception networking event kicked off at the Rosen Centre overlooking the pool.
“Wednesday night, we introduce our 70-plus expo partners (in software test management, software development and design, for example) at a cocktail party,” Wade said.
Wade also enjoys working with Rosen’s team members.
“Staff turnover is so low, I’ve worked with the same people for more than 20 years, which says a lot about a hotel,” she explained. “It’s difficult when there’s a different CMS (conference services manager) every year. The staff even recognize me and my meeting planners year after year.”
Another plus for Orlando attendees is receiving the conference rates before and after the event for attendees that want to extend their trip.
“At least 10% of our attendees take advantage of Orlando before or after our event to spend time with their spouses and kids. It’s definitely a perk,” Wade said.
Over the Edge Global
In August, Meliá Orlando Celebration hotel near Disney opened the first urban rappelling site five stories high, starting at the top of the resort. Over the Edge, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based company, has procured many rappelling sites used for fundraisers and helped event planners put on memorable and thrilling teambuilding events since 2008.
Further, this December 5-8, Meliá Orlando is bringing together the stars of reality television, professional wrestling, music, movies and more to support their favorite charities through the Over the Edge Foundation.
Omar Elkalyoubie, experience manager for Over the Edge Global, said Orlando makes for an ideal destination for meetings and events because of year-round temperate weather.
“This gives us the unique ability to host events all year long,” he explained.
Orlando has been the site of many Over the Edge events. In 2023 alone, they hosted about six events in the Orlando area with seven or eight on the books for this year.
“People attend our events from all over the world,” Elkalyoubie said. “The airport makes a lot of the travel process pretty seamless. Typically, our guests only have positive things to say about the airport.”
Over the Edge has only good things to say about Meliá, too, pointing out that their professional services are always top notch, from the initial prospecting process through the event culmination.
“We have hosted events there for several years and continue to do so up through today. Meliá Orlando quite literally has everything that we could ask for in a partner. It’s a beautiful property with good size meeting space for events, both large and small,” he said.
With so much to offer at this resort, attendees often extend their stays after the meeting.
“The rooming situation works well for our guests. Meliá is mostly suites that accommodate large families, and the apartment-style accommodations truly make their rooms a home-away-from-home,” Elkalyoubie said.
“Often, events require us to utilize every aspect of the property and the suites can easily accommodate additional guests. And with several event spaces, the property feels very large when you’re walking through it, yet it also maintains a distinct intimate feeling that is hard to describe unless you experience it yourself. I really can’t say enough about how the hotel blends the functionality of their spaces with the service level of their staff.
“We have hosted a few different events in the Orlando area at multiple venues,” he concluded, “but without a doubt, Meliá Orlando is our top choice when they can accommodate our dates."
