What Visit Orlando does

Visit Orlando, legally known as Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1984 and headquartered at 6649 Westwood Boulevard in Orlando, the nonprofit represents more than 1,600 member companies across Central Florida's tourism sector — including hotels, attractions, restaurants, and entertainment venues — and serves 76.7 million visitors who traveled to Orlando in 2025, a record total and the highest of any U.S. destination. Its core product is VisitOrlando.com, an official consumer-facing vacation planning website that catalogs 480+ hotels and resorts (130,000+ rooms), attractions, events, and dining options, supported by the BestofOrlando.com ticketing platform, an interactive map, and human travel planners reachable via phone, text, email, and live chat.

The organization's technology stack is anchored by OPAL (Orlando Planning Assistance by Locals), an AI-powered trip planning tool launched in June 2026 in partnership with Silicon Valley-based Mindtrip. OPAL uses natural language processing and knowledge retrieval to combine locally curated expert content with data from more than 40 third-party sources (including Google Places and TripAdvisor) and generates personalized 24/7 itinerary recommendations on VisitOrlando.com. Visit Orlando also maintains a multi-channel marketing presence across paid advertising in key domestic markets (New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas) and international markets (Canada, UK, Germany), as well as social, email, events, and partnership marketing.

Visit Orlando's business model is structurally atypical. Approximately 92% of its funding comes from Orange County's Tourist Development Tax via a ~$100 million annual public contract — making the organization a tax-funded public-benefits entity rather than a conventional revenue-generating business. Supplemental recurring revenue comes from membership dues paid by its 1,600+ member companies. End-consumer services are free. The 2025 Orange County TDT collections reached $389.9 million (a 9th consecutive monthly record at $34.3M in December), and a $429.4M TDT reserve provides a multi-year funding buffer. In July 2025, an Orange County Comptroller audit found that approximately $3.5–$3.54 million in public funds had been misclassified as private funds in 2023, prompting contract renegotiations with the county over transparency and accountability.

Name

Visit Orlando

Legal name

Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

Website

https://visitorlando.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Visit Orlando is the official nonprofit destination marketing organization for Orlando, Florida, representing 1,600+ tourism member companies and serving 76.7 million annual visitors through its VisitOrlando.com website, BestofOrlando.com ticketing platform, and AI-powered OPAL trip planner, funded primarily by Orange County's tourist development tax.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Hospitality & VIP Services (Hosting, Protocol, Concierge) (THAHADAG), Inbound DMCs (Full-Service Ground Handling) (THAKAEAA)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Vacation planning
• Tourism promotion
• Travel planning services
• Visitor information

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tourist Development Tax Revenue: Visit Orlando receives approximately 92% of its funding from public Tourist Development Tax (TDT) funds. The organization receives a $100 million annual contract funded primarily through hotel/tourist tax revenue collected by Orange County. This is not traditional revenue from product/service sales but rather public funding for tourism promotion.
2. Membership Dues: Visit Orlando represents more than 1,600 member companies in Central Florida's tourism sector who pay membership dues for association benefits and marketing services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Visit Orlando is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Orlando, Florida. It promotes Orlando as a travel destination through VisitOrlando.com, providing free vacation planning services, hotel/attraction/restaurant directories, an interactive map, the AI-powered OPAL trip planner, and ticketing through BestofOrlando.com. The organization represents more than 1,600 member companies in Central Florida's tourism sector and is funded primarily by Orange County's Tourist Development Tax.

Product overview

Visit Orlando operates as a destination marketing organization (DMO) offering a unified digital platform centered on VisitOrlando.com, the official tourism website for Orlando, Florida. The core offering includes comprehensive vacation planning services with over 480 hotels and resorts and 130,000+ rooms featured. Key product components include the AI-powered OPAL trip planner (launched June 2026 in partnership with Mindtrip), an interactive mapping tool, trip planning resources, and the BestofOrlando.com ticket platform. The organization represents more than 1,600 member companies in Central Florida's tourism sector, providing personalized recommendations, custom itineraries, and 24/7 AI assistance alongside traditional human-provided planning services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VisitOrlando.com The official consumer-facing tourism website for Orlando, Florida, providing comprehensive vacation planning resources including hotel and resort listings (480+ hotels and 130,000+ rooms), restaurant recommendations, attraction information, event listings, and interactive maps. Available globally 24/7 for individual visitors.
• BestofOrlando.com A ticket purchasing platform operated by Visit Orlando where visitors can buy tickets to events and attractions in the Orlando area. Collects personal information including name, payment details, and preferences during checkout.
• Interactive Map A digital mapping tool on VisitOrlando.com that helps visitors navigate Orlando's tourism districts, attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other points of interest with location-based exploration capabilities.
• Vacation Planning Services Free vacation planning services available 24/7 via AI chatbot and human travel planners accessible via phone, text, email, or live chat. Provides personalized itinerary creation and assistance based on visitor preferences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record 76.7 million visitors welcomed in 2025, a 1.8% increase over 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• MindtripcoreTechnology or Integration · 25 June 2026Mindtrip, a Silicon Valley-based travel platform founded in 2023, partnered with Visit Orlando to develop OPAL (Orlando Planning Assistance by Locals), an AI-powered trip planning tool. The partnership combines local expert-curated knowledge with Mindtrip's AI and data from 40+ sources including Google Places and TripAdvisor to provide personalized vacation recommendations and custom itineraries available 24/7 on VisitOrlando.com.
• Orlando MagicflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 January 2026Orlando Magic extended its strategic partnership with Visit Orlando for destination marketing in key European markets. The NBA team has partnerships with AIDA Cruises, Domino's, Kellogg's, ThreatLocker, Deutsche Telekom, and Visit Orlando ahead of playing regular-season games in Berlin and London as part of the NBA Global Games. Visit Orlando participates in the team's European events including Magic Kiez fan destination in Berlin and Business of Basketball Summit.
• ICON ParkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 January 2026ICON Park partnered with Visit Orlando for the Art Way mural installation, a 140-foot mural at ICON Park's Orlando entertainment destination. The multi-panel artwork features artistic interpretations representing Visit Orlando, Blue Man Group, Museum of Illusions, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, and Helena Modern Riviera, created by five local artists.
• AAU (Amateur Athletic Union)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Orlando is a strategic partner in hosting the AAU Junior Volleyball National Championships at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center. The 2025 tournament expects 325,500 attendees and 6,515 teams from the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. The 2024 tournament generated over $760 million in economic impact for Central Florida.
• Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCCC hosts major events including AAU Junior Volleyball National Championships and serves as a primary venue for citywide events that drive significant tourism economic impact. Visit Orlando collaborates with OCCC on event promotion and destination marketing.
• Greater Orlando Sports CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in sports tourism development, collaborating on events like the AAU Junior Volleyball National Championships. The commission drives sports-related visitor spending and economic impact for the Central Florida region.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA): LVCVA is the official DMO for Las Vegas, a top U.S. destination, funded by room taxes and representing thousands of member properties. Directly comparable to Visit Orlando in mission, funding model (tax-based), and member-driven destination marketing structure.
• NYC Tourism + Conventions (formerly NYC & Company): Official DMO for New York City, funded through a combination of public and private sources. Closely comparable to Visit Orlando as a U.S. destination marketing organization promoting leisure, cultural, and convention travel with member-based operations.
• Choose Chicago: Official tourism organization for Chicago, funded through hotel tax revenue and member dues. Comparable to Visit Orlando in its tax-funded DMO model, focus on cultural and leisure tourism, and multi-channel consumer marketing.
• Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board: Official DMO for Los Angeles, with tax-based funding and a broad member network. Comparable to Visit Orlando as a major U.S. destination competing for domestic and international leisure and convention visitors.
• Visit Denver (Denver Tourism Office): Official tourism organization for Denver, promoting urban, cultural, and outdoor experiences with tax-supported funding. Comparable in mission and member-driven destination marketing, though serving a smaller-scale destination than Orlando.

Broad incumbents

• Visit Florida: State-level tourism marketing corporation for Florida, with a broader geographic mandate than Visit Orlando's Central Florida focus. Comparable in mission and tax-based funding, but operates at a wider scope across the entire state.
• Brand USA: The national destination marketing organization for the United States. Comparable to Visit Orlando as a tax-supported DMO focused on driving inbound international and domestic travel, but operating at a national rather than city level.
• Visit California: State-level nonprofit tourism organization for California. Comparable to Visit Orlando in its tax-supported marketing model and multi-channel campaigns, but covers a much larger and more diverse geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Tourism Australia: Australia's national tourism organization, government-funded with a global marketing remit. Comparable in mission and structure (public-funded DMO with international marketing campaigns), but serves a different geography and uses slightly different funding mechanisms.

Others

• Mindtrip: Silicon Valley-based AI travel platform that powers Visit Orlando's OPAL trip planner. Comparable as a technology partner and ecosystem participant in AI-driven travel planning, rather than as a destination marketing competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/visitorlando

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Visit Orlando