Experience Kissimmee Impact Report Fiscal Year 2020-2021
Moving In A Positive Direction
As we moved from 2021 into 2022, the changes happening around us seemed to point in a positive direction towards recovery. Not only did we see several consecutive months of record-breaking Tourist Development Tax (TDT), but we experienced the best summer in the history of Osceola County. With a strong desire to seek forward momentum despite unprecedented roadblocks, we looked to our partners. Their resiliency was truly remarkable. Even as domestic leisure visitation climbs, the international markets and meetings and conventions continue to face various challenges. We’re hopeful that with just a bit more time we’ll see those numbers grow as well.
Buckle in for a trip down memory lane as we share our company highlights from our 2020-2021 Impact Report.
Our Story
Osceola County was first established as a transportation hub in the late 19th century for riverboats and railroads. This began a cattle, sugar, and lumber-based economy. But all that changed with the arrival of Walt Disney World® Resort in 1971.
Since then, Kissimmee and Central Florida have evolved from a few roadside attractions into one of the top vacation destinations in the world. Tourism and hospitality are at the heart of this place we call home, and Experience Kissimmee is proud to have helped guests plan memorable vacations for more than 40 years. As the official tourism authority for Osceola County, Florida, we work closely with our community to inspire visitation to our sunny destination.
Our Team
To maximize visitation to the destination, Experience Kissimmee focuses our marketing efforts toward domestic and international travel as well as sports and meeting sales. This way, we’re able to inspire travel for leisure, business, and sports groups.
Mission
The mission of Experience Kissimmee is to create economic opportunity for our community by driving visitation to the destination.
Vision
To be the recognized leader in destination marketing by promoting Kissimmee and Central Florida's tourism experiences to the world.
Revenue
| Earnings – REVENUE & SUPPORT | |
|---|---|
| Income October 2020 – September 2021 | |
| PUBLIC FUNDS | |
| TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX | 13,260,705 |
| PUBLIC GRANTS | 846,108 |
| TOTAL PUBLIC FUNDS | 17,894,756 |
| PRIVATE FUNDS | 1,059,058 |
| Total Income | 18,953,814 |
| Gross Profit | 18,953,814 |
Expenses
| Annual Expenses | |
|---|---|
| Expenses October 2020 – September 2021 | |
| PERSONNEL COSTS | 4,422,376 |
| MARKETING & PROMOTIONS | 8,294,239 |
| NON-PROGRAM COSTS | 1,136,229 |
| Total Expenses | 13,852,844 |
| Net Ordinary Income | 5,100,970 |
| Other Income/Expense | (176,073) |
| Increase (Decrease) Net Assets | 4,924,897 |
Destination by the Numbers
*Results reflect October 2020 – September 2021.
9.5 Million
Overnight Visitors to Osceola County
$45.3 Million
in Annual Tourist Development Tax Collections
$806.4 Million
is Experience Kissimmee’s Influenced Economic Impact to Osceola County
$532.5 Million
in Experience Kissimmee-Driven Visitor Spending
Source: Osceola County Tax Collector
Visitation
Flights into Orlando International Airport (MCO):
Source: GOAA
The Road Map
October 2020 – September 2021
Despite launching before the pandemic outbreak, the organization’s strategic plan helped guide us through the fiscal year 2020-2021, the second year of the three-year plan. The success of this plan will be measured by four strategic pillars.
Visitation: Implement targeted programs that impact visitation and outpace comparable markets.
Brand Awareness: Continue to grow and strengthen brand awareness among Experience Kissimmee’s community, partners, and visitors.
Advocacy: Increase community advocacy for tourism and Experience Kissimmee through greater visibility, engagement, and awareness.
Organization: Ensure Experience Kissimmee’s long-term sustainability and relevance through continued innovation.
Landmarks, Roadblocks & Solutions
With the continued support of our County Commissioners and Board of Directors, we aligned with our staff to explore a fresh take on consumer communication and marketing strategies throughout the country. As our partners approached re-opening, our team felt encouraged to get back out and experience Kissimmee with a fresh perspective, reminding us why this is the ultimate destination for families and business alike.
- Media Relations
We focused our efforts on local coverage by leaning into community support, creatively keeping our destination top of mind for media.
The PR team hosted multiple virtual media tours, from theme parks to vacation homes, allowing media to connect with our partners and ask questions about new safety procedures, changes to operations, and upcoming plans.
- Social Media
The Social Media team brought Influencer Marketing in house, including strategy, planning, and goal setting for successful implementation. We saw 141.2K engagements, 1.7M reach, and over $1.69M Estimated Media Value.
We found new ways to tell stories of the destination, such as the Planet Kissimmee series, Facebook Lives at vacation homes, and Instagram guides.
- Meeting Sales
The Meeting Sales team launched Meet Me in Kissimmee, an original Meetings webinar series streaming live each quarter to showcase meeting partners and destination updates for meeting planners.
We offered groups the flexibility to move meeting incentive approval to future rebooked dates, which resulted in fewer cancellations due to COVID-19.
- Kissimmee Sports Commission
One of our biggest landmarks during fiscal year 2020-2021 was starting a Sports Advisory Board consisting of 14 key stakeholders in sports tourism, meeting on a quarterly basis.
- Industry Partner Relations
To keep up with the ever-changing landscape of industry contacts and reflect accurate records in our database, we connected with partners to identify updated contracts. We continued educating them on the benefits of our partner program, while also rebuilding the partnership committee to facilitate additional recruitment.
We also remained flexible during the pandemic to adapt to evolving health and safety protocols for in-person events.
- International & Domestic Sales
The International & Domestic Sales team stayed closely in touch with travel trade and other partners via regular calls and webinars to share information and resources for safety measures and regulations.
- Business Applications & Insights
With the shifting of work locations, our Business Applications & Insights team researched and implemented ongoing technology upgrades to accommodate a growing hybrid telecommuting model.
- Marketing
The Marketing team worked hard to not just stimulate the local economy, but drive job growth and bring tourists into the destination. This led to the launch of a “Locals” media campaign that focused on supporting the businesses of Osceola County.
After the success of the Locals campaign, we launched a recovery campaign aimed at key domestic markets where travelers were willing to fly and drive markets where travelers would be looking for a COVID-19 getaway.
- Content Studio
Alongside our Meeting Sales team, we developed a video series called Kissimmee On-The-Go to highlight the safety and health measures of our industry partners and attractions.
Blazing the trail ahead!
With roadblocks behind us and fresh perspectives in place, we’re excited to tell new stories and welcome visitors to our vibrant destination. Whether it’s their first time visiting or a return trip to Kissimmee, we aim to provide ample creative resources to everyone heading this way. From video and social content to new marketing strategies, we’re ready to blaze the trail ahead when it comes to visitor engagement. We’ll see you in Kissimmee, Florida!
