The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. is celebrating 25 years as a meetings and conventions destination with a special program designed to thank the meetings community for its support and to invite planners to join in the 2009 celebration. Through the Orlando CVB 25th Anniversary Savings Celebration, any meeting booked by May 1, 2009 and held by Dec, 31, 2009 will enjoy a 2.5% discount off the master account at any one of 30 Orlando-area meetings hotels, which include: Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, Caribe Royale, Crowne Plaza Orlando Downtown, Crowne Plaza Orlando Universal, Doubletree Castle Hotel, Doubletree Universal Orlando, Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista, Embassy Suites Orlando-Downtown, Florida Hotel and Conference Center, Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando, Holiday Inn International Drive Resort, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, International Plaza Resort and Spa, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando, Orlando Airport Marriott, Orlando World Center Marriott, The Peabody Orlando, Renaissance Orlando Airport, Renaissance Orlando SeaWorld, Rosen Centre, Rosen Plaza Hotel, Rosen Shingle Creek, Royal Plaza – Walt Disney World Resort, Sheraton Orlando North, Sheraton Safari Hotel & Suites, The Westin Imagine Orlando, Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa and Wyndham Orlando Resort. 
 

 Air Tran, Jet Blue and Dollar Rent-A-Car are also supporting the program with special pricing offers to qualifying meetings. In addition to the main offer, many of the hotels are offering additional benefits ranging from complimentary wireless internet access to complimentary opening receptions to double award points. Certain restrictions apply to the Orlando CVB 25th Anniversary Savings Celebration. Interested groups should complete an RFP available online at orlandoconventions/com/25 or call 800-646-2087. For general information on Orlando meetings and conventions, visit: orlandoconventions.com.

“While a challenging time for the meetings industry, it is also an exciting time for the Orlando meeting and convention community as we celebrate being the #2 meetings destination in just 25 short years. Not only do we have a lot to be proud of looking back, but we have a lot to look forward to as $2.2 billion in new hotels and attractions sets the stage to transform Orlando into the future,” said Gary Sain, President/CEO, Orlando CVB. “Our 25th Anniversary program is designed to celebrate our successes, show our thanks to meeting planners for their support and encourage efforts to keep the industry robust.”

Orlando Florida boasts the Orange County Convention Center, considered the nation’s second largest convention facility and featuring 7 million square feet of combined meeting and public space in two remarkable facilities, with a total of 2.1 million square feet of exhibition space, 74 meeting rooms and 235 breakout rooms.