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NEW STUDY OF MEETING PLANNERS RANKS ORLANDO #1

Last year, Center for Exhibition Industry Research found that Orlando, Florida was the leading destination for healthcare and medical meetings. This year, Metropoll XIII has found that this Florida destination has even wider appeal.

Orlando was named as the preferred host for a convention, trade show, conference or seminar in several of the categories covered by Metropoll XIII, a new study that surveyed more than a thousand meeting planners and decision makers at major corporations and associations. Respondents were asked to rank 40 major U.S. destinations on a variety of factors including quality of hotel meeting facilities and convention center facilities; overall destination support; overall destination image; value for the money; location; and “green” practices,

“It’s rewarding and quite an honor to be recognized by nationwide meeting planners with such high marks and praise, said Gary C. Sain, President & CEO, Orlando/Orange County Convention & Vistiors Bureau.

Key findings include:

Orlando ranked #1 overall as a convention destination
Orlando ranked #1 for intent to hold a major meeting in the next three years
Orlando ranked the #1 destination among corporate meeting planners
Out of 25 travel destination attributes, Orlando ranked in the top 10 on 15
Of 21 convention center attributes, Orlando ranked #1 on 15

Of the more than 60 attributes covered, Orlando was named #1 in the following categories: Overall evaluation as a convention site; Intent to hold corporate meeting in the next three years’ Intent to hold association meeting in the next three years; Supportive convention bureau; Excellent convention center reputation; Wireless internet connections at convention center; Good audio-visual facilities at convention center; Good banquet facilities at convention center; Labor crew easy to work with at convention center; Competent management at convention center; Good food served at convention center; Adequate hotel rooms nearby convention center; Convention hotel adjacent to Center; Sufficient exhibit space at convention center; Adequate seating for large sessions at convention center; Adequate breakout rooms at convention center; Adequate trade exhibit facilities at convention center; Reasonable exhibit setup and service costs; and Good family destination.

The study—METROPOLL XIII—is the 13th in a continuing series of brand image/marketing studies conducted among a national sample of major meeting and convention decision makers. METROPOLL covers 40 major destinations in North America and is conducted every two years. Reports are available on a subscription basis.

According to Sain, Orlando’s rising profile has been due to the county’s hospitality industry coalescing around the the Orange County Convention Center, which features 7 million square feet of combined meeting and public space in two facilities. “Since opening the new Orange County Convention Center North/South building in 2003, our entire meetings community has come together and worked tirelessly to earn the respect and trust as a top meetings destination,” said Sain. “This recognition of our efforts, along with our incredible partners at the Orange County Convention Center, in delivering the highest quality meetings experience at a good value, is validation that we are making a positive, discernible difference in the meetings industry.”

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