ORLANDO
Visit Orlando issued the following update on Thursday, Sept. 14.
The Orlando meetings industry resumed full operations after Hurricane Irma earlier this week. The destination’s attractions, hotels, resorts and meetings facilities are up and running, and already working with meeting planners on scheduling future shows.
The destination is currently hosting thousands of visitors at its 450 hotels, and began welcoming new flight arrivals at Orlando International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport over the last few days.
The Orange County Convention Center has opened its doors and is fully operational after clearing just minimal landscape debris. The center is preparing to welcome the load-in of its first major post-storm event starting this week. The center also served a dual purpose as a staging ground for equipment and machinery used in response and recovery efforts both during and after the storm.
All of the area’s largest theme parks - including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando - are open to welcome attendees, as well as numerous attractions.
Dining, shopping and entertainment are also in full swing as all of the popular retail, dining and entertainment districts are open to attendees including I-Drive 360, Pointe Orlando, Restaurant Row, Universal CityWalk and Disney Springs, as well as the International Drive tourism area.
“Visit Orlando has communicated with hundreds of our member businesses, and it is clear the vast majority are back to business,” said George Aguel, president & CEO of Visit Orlando. “As one of the top meetings destinations in the United States, Orlando has an extraordinary infrastructure in place that responds quickly and efficiently to ensure minimal business disruption to this industry, which is so important to us, and this system has clearly served us well.”
