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Visit Orlando Orlando Districts campaign highlights the city’s distinct dining options
Visit Orlando unveiled a new advertising cam- paign in June for the meetings market that aims to change perceptions about Orlando’s dining and entertainment options. The cam- paign targets the “influencer” — those with job titles of director to CEO, who ultimately make the decision about where to book a company’s meeting or business event. “Through research, we heard from meet-
ings and convention clients that the percep- tion of our destination was that there was not enough to do after meetings were done and this is why Orlando was not selected,” said Danielle Courtenay, chief marketing ofi- cer for Visit Orlando. “As our residents know, we have wonderful dining options, and this campaign will raise the profile of dining and entertainment in Orlando.” The ads feature soft-focused black-
and-white photos of attendees dining and entertaining at unique Orlando venues. The
messaging vividly describes six Orlando dining districts — the Convention Area, Res- taurant Row, Winter Park, Downtown, Uni- versal/CityWalk and Disney/Lake Buena Vista
— each with a distinct personality. “I’m excited that Visit Orlando is taking
the lead in showcasing our craft,” said Kevin Fonzo, chef-owner at K Restaurant. “Food is a passion for us, and we have a friendly rivalry among the chefs that pushes us to create new dining experiences for our customers.” Digital advertising is running across
multiple online networks, with print ads scheduled in six domestic markets — Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. — in business publica- tions including Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg Businessweek, Newsweek, Smithsonian, The Week, and Time, as well as Delta Sky Maga- zine. In addition, a five-minute video and 30-second promotional spot will air on select
Delta flights. The advertising is scheduled to continue through late 2012. The orlandodistricts.com website
launched at the same time as the campaign, featuring information on the restaurants and entertainment venues located in each district, profiles and videos of local, award- winning chefs, as well as a dining blog.
For more information: orlandomeeting.com
Vancouver Convention Centre A special destination for meetings
Vancouver was again named North America’s top destination for international meetings by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) this year. With diverse con- ventions drawn to the city in recent years, it’s easy to see why Vancouver has captured this prestigious title for the fourth time. One example is the United States & Cana-
dian Academy of Pathology’s 101st Annual Meeting, held in March at the Vancouver Con- vention Centre. “I’m extremely pleased with this year’s meeting and consider it our most successful ever,” said Executive Director Kerry Crockett. “Attendance was higher than it’s ever been, and the feedback from our faculty and attendees was overwhelmingly positive.” Following the successful hosting of the
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, coupled with the addition of the convention center’s stunning West building, Vancouver’s appeal as a leading convention destination is stronger than ever. The city has attracted an impressive range of conventions and events, many of which are new to Vancouver and larger in size and scope than ever before. Held in August 2011, the 38th annual
conference of the Association of Computer Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Com- puter Graphics and Interactive Techniques (SIGGRAPH) brought together more than 16,000 delegates from 74 countries and was the Vancouver Convention Centre's largest conference to date. This was the first time the event was held outside the U.S., and already
SIGGRAPH organizers have announced their plan to return to Vancouver in 2014. “Vancouver ... is both an international and
entrepreneurial city that creatively blends urban and natural environments,” said SIG- GRAPH 2011 conference chair Peter Braccio. “It is a special conference, so it is fitting that we are in a city as special as Vancouver.” Vancouver is indeed a special city — a
destination located in one of the most beau- tiful settings in the world, where partners are united to deliver an inspiring, seamless expe- rience for delegates and organizers.
For more information: tourismvancouver
.com/meetings and vancouverconvention centre.com
OCTOBER 2012 PCMA CONVENE 101