Interest in Universal and wider Orlando is expected to soar after the finale of Saturday Night Takeaway was broadcast live from the resort on Saturday.
The show, headed up by Declan Donnelly, Stephen Mulhern and Scarlett Moffatt, featured guest appearances from actress Denise Richards, Craig David, The Rembrandts and Jason Derulo and was filmed live at CityWalk.
It marked the first time a show had been broadcast live from Universal to the UK and saw more than 250 UK prize winners in attendance following a competition run in conjunction with Virgin Holidays, with a specially chartered Virgin Atlantic plane flying out last Tuesday.
Speaking to Travel Weekly ahead of the event in Orlando, Alison Montague, managing director EMEA for Universal Parks & Resorts, said: “before the show we were already seeing an increase in search and interest in us.
“We expect that to continue beyond the show by generating awareness and bookings, showing people who have never been here what it’s actually like.”
Universal saw demand rise following a previous promotion with the show in 2014, when seats on a specially chartered plane were given to prize winners who were filmed at the airport.
“It created a real buzz, so that’s when we decided the next level would be to follow the winners,” said Montague. “So we were a bit of a test bed for that concept.”
“Saturday Night Takeaway is a really good marriage for us in terms of who we’re talking to,” she added. “The show typically appeals to groups of friends or family, with children of any age, who get together to have a great time and that’s what we’re all about.
“We think it’s going to be great for the trade, too – agents can bring this into conversation with their customers. After Saturday I imagine Florida, Orlando and Universal will be front of mind for a lot more people in the coming weeks.”
The show comes at a strategic time, with a string of updates planned for the year ahead including the new immersive attraction Fast and Furious – Supercharged, set to open at Universal Studios this spring, and tech-savvy hotel Aventura, launching on August 16.
Two new budget hotels offering rooms for under $100 and a Harry-Potter themed ‘immersive family coaster’ will follow suit in 2019, and a new trade portal providing selling tips, pre-fam preparation and other forms of training to an online community is also set to launch “imminently”, according to Montague.