Feb 29th 2024
2023 Year in Review
Meeting Sales & Services Team
What we’ve been up to and where we’re headed:
Experience Kissimmee is the official CVB for Osceola County, welcoming nine million visitors per year and the perfect destination for business and leisure.
Kissimmee is home to 1,000,000 square feet of meeting space, over 25,000+ hotel rooms, and nearly 300 unique meeting venues. With so many diverse selections, no two venues are alike - all have their own unique features and amenities. In 2023, Cvent ranked Kissimmee in the top 50 meeting destinations in North America. Rankings are based on sourcing activity, and it’s no surprise we made the list!
Kissimmee, located in Central Florida, is 25 minutes from Orlando International Airport and minutes from world-famous theme parks, exhilarating outdoor adventures, and great dining and entertainment. Kissimmee makes it easy to create buzz-worthy event itineraries that take meetings to the next level, and incentives and discounts sweeten the deal. Plus, there’s year-round sunshine and warm weather. Explore all the reasons to meet in Kissimmee.
Team Updates
Sara Melendez dedicated 17 years promoting Kissimmee and Osceola County to meeting and event planners. In January 2024, she moved on to her next adventure. We will miss her dearly and wish her the best.
Omaira Soto is our newest team member. Not new to the industry, Omaira’s background includes Central Florida attractions, restaurants, hotels, and resorts. She will be overseeing the West Coast including Texas and international markets. The team is deployed by location of sourcing planner. Stay tuned for new updates in 2024.
Cash Back Incentive
That’s right, the popular meeting incentive, It Pays to Meet in Kissimmee, helped save meeting organizations up to $10,000 per meeting in 2023. For meetings that take place between April 1-Dec. 31, groups can earn $4 per paid room night up to $10,000 cash back. And great news! This incentive has been approved for 2024. Be sure to lock in your future meetings now.
Branching Out for Sustainability
In May 2023, we decided to extend Experience Kissimmee’s internal sustainability initiative to our meeting clients. Any meeting organization that qualifies through our team for our meeting incentive, It Pays to Meet in Kissimmee, will also receive our Trees4Travel initiative. For every paid room night actualized, a tree will be planted on behalf of the meeting organization. 1,500 total room nights = 1,500 trees planted. To learn more, contact the Experience Kissimmee team to see if your meeting or event qualifies.
Giving Back to Community
Experience Kissimmee is excited to announce a new partnership with Legacy Collective! Through this newfound partnership, our organizations set up the Kissimmee Giving Circle, which allows visiting organizations to support select non-profits in the Central Florida community when meeting here.
With the Kissimmee Giving Circle, groups coming to Kissimmee can choose to leave a legacy by donating funds to a local organization. Legacy Collective then amplifies and recognizes the organization and nonprofit beneficiaries.
If you’re interested in joining the Kissimmee Giving Circle, contact our team today!
Partnership Milestone!
We hit a record-breaking 1,000 partners in 2023, and we haven’t stopped there! What’s in it for meeting organizers? Access to our extensive network for vendor services, making planning a breeze — from transportation to unique entertainment for your event.
One of our partners also hit a note worthy milestone, ASM Global’s Osceola Heritage Park is celebrating 20 years as the most versatile entertainment complex in the Southwest U.S for hosting rodeos, the county fair, trade shows, and a handful of other events.
Expansion Excitement!
Oh yes, we are thrilled to share that in fall of 2023, Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate opened a new tower of rooms, bringing the total guest rooms to 1,005. Also, the resort added an outside feature called the Sunset Terrace. The Terrace features an event lawn area with 9,906 square feet (about twice the area of a basketball court) of artificial turf and concrete walkways.
And in Feb. 2024, Eagles Edge at ChampionsGate will provide groups 30 state-of-the-art covered hitting bays featuring Toptracer technology for interactive gameplay and flexible indoor and outdoor bar and event space just steps away from the main resort. Eagles Edge can accommodate a minimum of 40 to more than 1,000 guests in combination with adjoining event spaces/venues. Curate an off-site experience for attendees without leaving the resort!
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Sunset Walk Opening 2024
Embassy Suites by Hilton™ presents a Condo Hotel concept in the heart of Margaritaville Orlando Resort’s growing paradise. This hotel will provide one- and two-bedroom suites with complimentary daily breakfast and evening reception and access to the many resort amenities onsite.
Delta by Marriott Orlando Celebration Completes Renovations
Delta by Marriott Orlando Celebration has recently concluded an extensive $35 million renovation to deliver a revitalizing experience for guests by seamlessly blending modern amenities with stylish design.
Toho Riverboat Adventures Adds the Pearl of the Lake
The new paddlewheel riverboat, Pearl of the Lake, recently embarked on its maiden voyage and will become part of the everyday options for tours around Lake Toho. The Pearl of the Lake can hold up to 100 passengers with two bathrooms, A/C and heating, and a TV for presentations. Toho Riverboat Adventures offer private charters for every occasion. Whether it’s a family reunion, a corporate event, or any other special gathering.
Kissimmee’s Quadra Modal Charm!
Traveling to Kissimmee just got easier. You can now get to Kissimmee by air, space, sea and land! Brightline Trains opened the Central Florida station at Orlando International Airport, offering high-speed rail service between Orlando and Miami with stops in between. Groups of 30 or more can enjoy top-notch hospitality onboard with AV facilities, food and beverage, and even networking activities — a unique meeting experience on the move!
Latest Culinary Delights
1881 Now Open in Downtown Kissimmee
A new restaurant where dining meets history. This new addition to Downtown Kissimmee has been given its name after the year the city of Kissimmee was incorporated. The restaurant is located at the former W.B. Makinson Hardware building in the heart of Downtown. Prior to the renovation, W.B. Makinson Hardware was the oldest operating retail hardware store in Florida.
Old Town Entertainment District Kissimmee Announces Addition of Maw’s Mountain Moonshine Spring 2024
Old Town, an iconic walking district of shops, food, entertainment, and events for more than 34 years, announces the addition of Maw’s Mountain Moonshine, coming spring 2024. Already extremely popular after its first year in Mount Dora, Fla., the five generations Adkins moonshine family is now bringing a second location of their Craft Cocktail Distillery to Old Town Kissimmee.
Pinstripes Coming to Orlando in Early 2024
Born in the Midwest, Pinstripes is a collection of venues that has rapidly grown across the United States, offering a combination of made-from-scratch dining, face-to-face gaming, and signature service. The venue features up to 40,000 square feet from intimate, private dining spaces to flexible ballrooms to comfortable outdoor spaces surrounding a cozy fire pit. The rustic and open design is the perfect setting to customize your event.
Lazy Dog Restaurant Now Open in Kissimmee
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, the casual dining restaurant known for its innovative twists on American dishes served with small mountain town hospitality, opened its doors in Kissimmee at 8019 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. Lazy Dog offers a preset menu for groups eight or more, as well as office delivery. It’s open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch with a full bar program that includes specialty cocktails and a wide selection of craft beers.