Lauren Salisbury, Media Relations Rep, Osceola County Department of Tourism Development
Andrew Ricketts of VoX International
Enjoying lunch, Linda Khanna of Vacation.com and Marlon Moreno of Bold Magazine
The Kissimmee team: Andrew Ricketts, Susan Webb, Sylvia Oliande, Cari Marotta Lauren Salisbury, Simon Bismail
The new Experience Kissimmee logo
“Did it taste like chicken?” I asked Lauren Salisbury, Media Relations Representative for Osceola County Department of Tourism Development, following my question about foods unique to Florida. “Yes, and a bit like fish too.” She replied. “But it’s not what I would eat regularly, just something I tried to say I've done it.” Salisbury’s other favourite Kissimmee experiences include the 1930s Chicago gangster style entertainment at Capone’s Dinner Show and a hot air balloon ride over Osceola County, which she described as “breathtaking.”
A trade luncheon was the order of the day recently at Toronto’s posh Sassafraz Restaurant hosted by the sales and marketing division of the County Department, now named ‘Experience Kissimmee’ and its Canadian marketing partner, VoX International. Guests were formally introduced to the partnership as well as the Department’s new logo and branding campaign which shows off a fresh and contemporary look. The goal of the rebranding, said Salisbury, is “to reach the Generation Y travellers. Young people are looking for destinations that offer a variety of experiences, and we want to communicate the uniqueness of Kissimmee to current and future generations.”
Offering food and music festivals, bargain shopping, thrill-seeking adventure, world class golf and proximity to major theme parks, Kissimmee is the place to be, and Canadians know it. 462,000 of us visited the area in 2012, making Canada the #1 international market. With numbers like that Simon Bismail, Sales Director for Experience Kissimmee, suggested it’s an intimate relationship. “Florida and Canada is like a love story.” Perhaps even a match made in heaven? Kissimmee after all, Bismail later noted, is a Caloosa Indian word meaning "Heaven's Place.” And a great year-round climate (247 sunny days to be precise) is just an attractive bonus.
There is no lack of accommodations either. 47,000 options include luxury resorts, motels, hotels and the largest inventory of vacation rental homes in the country.
Canadians travelling to the Central Florida region in 2013 will have the opportunity to experience even more. Here are some highlights:
Chocolate Kingdom– Factory Adventure Tour, which opened in January, is an interactive tour that demonstrates how chocolate transforms from bean to chocolate bar.
Opening at SeaWorld Orlando in late spring 2013 is Antartica: Empire of the Penguin. Riders will journey across the wondrous Antarctic through the eyes of a young Penguin.
Walt Disney World Resort has recently expanded to include the New Fantasyland, where guests can meet Belle and stroll through her provincial town and the enchanted forest enroute to the Beast’s castle.
For the daredevil seeking a bit of outdoor adventure, there is the new Swooping Crane extreme swing at Forever Florida. Riders free-fall from 55 ft. in the air and swoop back and forth above brush and between trees.
Visitors who want to try an airboat ride can glide through the Florida swamp at Wildlife Park and perhaps see an alligator family. Speaking of alligators, remember the mystery food that tasted like chicken and fish from a few paragraph above? Yeah, you guessed it. I’m not sure if I would be bold enough to experience that taste, but I would definitely try many more of the mini chocolate shaped gators that were included with the luncheon parting gift, courtesy of Chocolate Kingdom. And how did they taste? Like heaven!
