Pow Wow International 2007
Orlando is tripling its marketing spend in the UK after seeing visitor numbers drop by 4% last year to around two million.
Orlando president and chief executive Gary Sain said $3.5 million had been earmarked for the UK to counter increasing competition from destinations such as Australia and Canada that has hit the US destination’s market share.
He added: “We haven’t had the amount of funds in the past that we’ve needed to do the things we want to do. The additional money will allow us to focus on attracting the middle-class family and couples who travel without children.”
He added the fall in visitors had been further driven by changing holiday patterns with the increasing popularity of short-haul breaks.
Sain is hoping to reverse the trend with broadcast advertising from August as well as the new online Orlando Holiday Specialist training programme for agents.
More from Pow Wow
- ‘Prepare for boom’ says Hilton boss
- California drafts in Arnie for UK marketing campaign
- Agents in danger of losing Florida market to DIY bookings
- US to mark 400th year as Virginia mourning continues
- Las Vegas targets convention market
- Agents urged to demand flexibility from US car hire firms
- Millennium Hotels trials air filtration system