More than 500 tourism industry
and community leaders gathered at the Orange County Convention Center last Wednesday
for the annual Orlando/Orange County CVB
Marketing & Convention Sales Marketing Briefing luncheon and U.K. Travel
Trend Forum. At the event, the 2003 Marketing Plan was unveiled, detailing strategies
for Convention Sales and Services as well as Domestic and International Marketing.
myregion.org’s
lead consultant, Michael Gallis of Michael Gallis & Associates, was the
keynote speaker at the luncheon program. During his presentation, he discussed
"Global Tourism and Increasing Competition" and what it means for
Central Florida as part of the tourism component of the initiative.
Tourism Co-Chairs Jane Adams,
Vice President of Government Relations for Walt Disney World, and Mark McHugh,
President and CEO of Gatorland, welcomed attendees and thanked Orlando/Orange
County CVB president Bill Peeper for the opportunity to share some of the
fascinating data unveiled so far in themyregion.org project.
“Since the beginning
of the year, business, government, institutional leaders and citizens of the
region have been actively involved in building a regional database. We have
collected an incredible amount of information—not just on tourism, but
in all 13 areas of study, from education, to environment to transportation,”
said Co-Chair Mark McHugh. “This has never been done before—to understand
the relationship among all the systems of the region, how its parts fit together,
and how we can position Central Florida in the world marketplace. This is why
we have engaged Michael Gallis as our lead consultant. In each of the regions
across the nation in which he has concluded a study, a new regional mentality
has been built,” he added.
During his presentation,
Gallis pointed out that, to compete globally, we must market Central Florida
as a region. In addition, the region must:
- Recognize that tourism
is the region's foundation and that it should be used as a platform from which
to launch or support other industries.
- Develop a comprehensive
marketing plan to market the region as one destination, not seven or eight
different destinations/cities.
- Work as one to pool marketing
resources in order to effectively compete with other destinations that operate
on much larger marketing budgets.
- Expand international
air service to capture the region's share of the incredible growth that is
expected in international visitation. This means working together to develop
a strategy to attract new carriers.
As Tourism Co-Chair Jane
Adams pointed out, “This continued dialogue will help us develop a regional
agenda that will be based on an awareness of the local, regional, national and
global networks that connect people and business. Without this understanding,
any strategy will be nothing more than a shot in the dark,” she concluded.
During the luncheon program,
University of Central Florida's Rosen School of Hospitality Management Dean
Dr. Abraham Pizam presented to Bill Peeper "The William C. Peeper Eminent
Chair in Destination Marketing Award," in recognition of his contribution
to both the Central Florida community and its No. 1 industry—tourism. The
endowed chair is the highest academic award that can be conferred on someone
not directly involved in the academic arena.
“Bill has been a true
leader in ensuring that the success of the region and of the entire convention
and tourism industry go hand in hand, creating a segment of the economy that
is absolutely essential for our regional success,” said Jacob Stuart, president
of myregion.org. “Not only
does he serve on myregion.org’s
CEO Roundtable, but four years ago, it was through Bill’s leadership
that we first heard Michael Gallis’ message of a regional agenda. That
message could not have been more timely—and that’s why we are here
today,” he concluded.
To learn more about the
Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s annual marketing
briefing and luncheon, go to www.orlandoinfo.com/cvb.
