On Monday, July 21, 2014, GrayRobinson’s Orlando office hosted a Community Leader Forum featuring George Aguel of Visit Orlando and Rich Maladecki of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association. Aguel and Maladecki gave an update on tourism and conventions in Central Florida.
Aguel and Maladecki shared that on any given day, there could be an additional 475,000 visitors in Orlando. To put it into perspective, that is more than the city of Atlanta (432,427). Visitors spend $91 million daily creating an economic impact of $54 billion and choose Orlando for a variety of reasons including the theme parks, shopping, sporting events and conventions. Orlando is the second leading destination for conventions and boasts the second largest convention center. Orlando’s Mall at Millenia is the eighth most successful mall in the world, based on sales per square foot. The visitors yield enormous benefits to Central Florida residents including the facilities we enjoy, like the new Amway Center, Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, and Citrus Bowl renovations. Visitors throughout the state of Florida allow the state to not charge a state income tax based on the sales tax collected, roughly half of which is paid by visitors.
Aguel took over at the helm of Visit Orlando in 2013, after over 20 years working at what might be the city’s most well-known company – Walt Disney World Resorts. While at Disney, he held positions including SVP of Global Corporate Alliances and Operating Participants and SVP of Worldwide Sales and Services for Walt Disney Resorts. Aguel wasn’t completely new to Visit Orlando, though – he previously served on its board of directors and helped developed the three-year strategic plan that the organization is now carrying out. Aguel has long been known as a major player in the travel industry; he has been named one of the "25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing" by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International not once, but twice.
Maladecki has served as President and CEO of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association for 17 years. With over 30 years of non-profit executive experience, Maladecki has held leadership positions with a diverse group of associations. He first began his career working in several roles at Junior Achievement. Since that time, he has also served as the Executive Director of The Electrical Association of Philadelphia and as President of Parents, Inc. Maladecki has further distinguished his reputation through his involvement in the Central Florida community. He currently serves as a Board Member on Visit Orlando (the Destination Marketing Organization), is a former President of the Orange County Library Board of Trustees, sits on the Central Florida Boy Scouts Council and the Valencia Foundation Board of Directors.
Through its Community Leader Forums, GrayRobinson brings together clients, attorneys and friends of the firm to hear high-profile business and community leaders and elected officials discuss issues of importance to the state of Florida.
To view a picture from the event, click here.