Having crossed over from Visit Orlando to Experience Kissimmee almost 10 years ago, senior director of meeting sales and services Michelle Moore knows all too well the challenges that event planners may have in distinguishing the two. Fortunately, Experience Kissimmee’s funding comes from a Tourist Development Tax, meaning the DMO’s priority is to convince planners to source a hotel within city limits—and to not worry terribly if a trip to see Mickey Mouse or Harry Potter is in the offing for the visiting group.
In that regard, meetings and incentives in Kissimmee can have the best of all worlds. There are seven meetings-specific hotels, including the renowned Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center and Omni Orlando at ChampionsGate, totaling more than 25,000 guest rooms and 1 million square feet of meeting space.
Attendees are minutes from theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, but there are hot spots primed for connecting with nature equidistant, including Wild Florida Adventure Park and Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures.
The combination of practical and enjoyable plays right into the hands of today’s attendees, said Moore: “Business travelers are seeking to incorporate local destination experiences and leisure activities before or after meetings. Kissimmee is the perfect location for this trend.”
Small but Mighty
If Orlando is most associated with Mickey, Kissimmee can claim Mighty Mouse. Moore’s sales team has four members, a small number for such a popular destination. Agility, creativity and collaboration are keys to spreading the word.
“We can’t be everywhere at once,” Moore lamented.
For instance, Moore delegated a trip to Chicago for Destination International’s annual convention in July while she and a teammate attended the Florida Society of Association Executives at the same time.
Attracting meetings and events—Kissimmee is one of top destinations for medical meetings—involves a multi-faceted approach. Moore and her crew strategically plan when to meet planners at industry shows like PCMA, MPI’s World Education Congress, IMEX, and Connect Marketplace, plus when to host familiarization trips, in which they host planners on their home turf.
“Face-to-face networking remains irreplaceable in our industry,” Moore said. “It’s through these shared experiences—whether at trade shows, hosted buyer events or educational forums—that we deepen relationships, stay informed on industry trends and position Kissimmee as a dynamic and versatile destination for meetings and events.”
Spreading Kissimmee’s Message
Speaking to the importance of connecting with planners and chief marketing officers, more than half of Experience Kissimmee’s budget is dedicated to event-related activities and activations. These include hosting FAMs, sponsoring sessions and meals at professional conferences and manning booths on expo floors.
Regardless of the avenue the team takes for a specific occasion, the ultimate goal is to tell Kissimmee’s story and convince planners to experience the destination for themselves.
While many DMOs employ similar strategies of hosting FAMs and attending trade shows, Experience Kissimmee prides itself on going beyond the norm.
For example, during the pandemic, the organization partnered with Experience Scottsdale (Arizona) to host a virtual TopGolf competition, connecting planners on both sides of the country through a format that showcased both destinations and their hotel partners.
Further tying in connections to the community, Experience Kissimmee facilitates Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects that showcase local causes and highlight inspiring organizations. At FSAE’s 2024 conference in Kissimmee, the DMO sponsored a lounge where attendees participated in a “build-a-buddy” activity where they sit and stuff toy animals. Donations went to a local domestic violence shelter. Experience Kissimmee also partners with Trees4Travel, a carbon offset organization that supports tree planting efforts.
Experiential Marketing
A popular holdover from the pandemic is distributing plush animals that have been adopted as Experience Kissimmee’s mascots. They are: Lenny the Alligator, Bruce the Sloth (yes, Kissimmee has sloths!), and Rosie the Roseate Spoonbill, a rare bird native to the region.
The animal collection was a brainchild of the DMO’s graphic designer and have taken on a life of their own, Moore said.
“These characters began as fun additions to our webinar presentations and quickly gained popularity,” Moore added. “They’ve since evolved into plush toys, collectible pins and branded gift items, adding a playful, memorable touch to our events and client interactions.”
That sort of creativity bonds the team, part of why Experience Kissimmee has maintained staff loyalty. Other incentives to stay include a hybrid work schedule (two days in the office and three days remotely) and quarterly events at the area’s famed attractions that are not only enjoyable but also educational.
“These gatherings are more than just meetings,” Moore said. “They include immersive experiences such as walking tours of the host venue, giving our team firsthand knowledge of the spaces we promote.”
She concluded: “Fun is at the heart of what we promote as a destination, and our internal culture reflects that same energy.”
