Floridan city Orlando prepares for a packed up 2024 season after receiving more than 6 million visitors in 2023, aided by record-breaking Canadian visitation and international visitation that has recovered to 94 pc of pre-pandemic levels.

Orlando in Florida in the United States, known for its theme parks, received 6.13 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 25 pc compared to the arrivals in 2022. According to a press statement issued by the tourism promotion organisation, Visit Orlando, the total visitor number in 2023 represented 94 pc of pre-pandemic levels, with Canada, the United Kingdom and Brazil remaining the top three international origin markets.

According to a press statement by Visit Orlando, the official tourism association for the destination, Canada remains Orlando’s top international market with more than 1.2 million visitors travelling to Orlando in 2023, the highest number from this market in Orlando’s history.

“We saw strong gains from all of our core international markets, particularly from Canada, which brought in record-breaking visitation numbers. Orlando’s international growth is a testament to the uniqueness of our unbelievably real destination, the support from our travel trade partners and our emphasis on strategic marketing initiatives to help drive visitation from our key markets,” says Casandra Matej, President and CEO for Visit Orlando.

The board says that contributing to this significant international growth were a variety of factors, including new direct airlift in nearly all of Orlando’s top international markets, giving visitors more opportunities to get to Orlando easily and affordably, along with a more streamlined visa process in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.

Visit Orlando says it also expanded on its robust Unbelievably Real marketing campaign efforts, including a widespread Winter Doesn’t Exist campaign in key international markets during the colder months, further driving awareness and increasing desire for visitors to explore Orlando’s unique offerings.

Visit Orlando shared 2023 international visitation figures this week as part of U.S. Travel Association’s IPW, known as the Super Bowl of the travel industry, attracting travel buyers and media from more than 60 countries. Overall visitation numbers will be unveiled in late May, including domestic leisure and group business figures.

The board says that in 2024 and beyond, the ‘theme park capital of the world’ continues to grow with a lineup of new experiences, from movie-inspired attractions and a launch coaster with snowmobile-style cars to a luxury beach-like resort with an 8-acre crystal lagoon.