Talking Points: Orlando Travel (June 15, 2016)
Talking Points – Orlando Travel
Copyright © 2016 – Travel Leaders Group LLC. All rights reserved.
The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and clients when
discussing travel to Orlando. (June 15, 2016)
1. The overwhelming majority of visitors to Orlando – over 60 million each year – enjoy
its attractions incident-free.
2. While tourists were not specifically targeted in the June 12 attack on a gay club in
Orlando, travelers should always take precautions wherever they travel to help ensure
their safety and well-being.
3. Safety is our top priority for our clients.
Below you will find additional information, supporting material and statistics to help further
illustrate each talking point.
1. The overwhelming majority of visitors to Orlando – over 60 million each year – enjoy
its attractions incident-free.
In 2015, Visit Orlando announced that it set an all-time record within the U.S. travel
industry by welcoming more than 62 million visitors annually.
o Orlando is the most-visited destination within the United States.
o A record 32 million room nights were sold in Orlando throughout 2014.
o Visitation has recently grown by as much as 5% each year.
In Travel Leaders Group’s 2016 Travel Trends Survey, Orlando ranked as the mostbooked
destination for the year according to 1,316 travel agents. Orlando has
perennially been among the very top domestic destinations booked each year.
Orlando’s tourist corridor remains among the nation’s safest areas and is among the
most heavily patrolled by police. Located in Orange County, the sheriff’s department has
stated:
o “Orange County’s tourist corridor is one of the safest tourist destinations in the
country, but regardless of where you go to enjoy your leisure time, vacationers
should never leave home without packing a little common sense. The same rules
that keep you safe and secure in your hometowns should apply wherever you go.”
o “The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is one of the largest Law Enforcement
agencies in the United States with over 1400 sworn deputies and over 800 support
personnel.”
o “The Tourist Oriented Policing Sectors (T.O.P.S.) is divided into two separate fully
operational patrol sectors. Sector V covers the world famous International
Drive area commonly known as “I–Drive” as well as the Downtown Orange County,
Lake Buena Vista and parts of S.R. 192 areas. In addition the Orange County
Convention Center, the second largest in North America is located in Sector
V. The T.O.P.S. unit has a team of deputies assigned on a full time basis to the
O.C.C.C. Sector VI covers all of the Walt Disney theme parks and hotels. Both
sectors also have their own team of Detectives and a Crime Prevention Deputy
assigned with specific training, knowledge and certifications in the Tourist Policing
field. In addition, the Orange County Convention Center, is the second largest
convention hosting facility in North America.”
o “The T.O.P.S. unit also utilizes other agency resources for maximum visibility and
to ensure the safety of guests. This includes our Bicycle Patrols, Mounted Units,
Motor Units, Marine Patrol and Aviation/Air Support.”
“To meet the needs of a growing number of visitors, Orange County has made
investments in infrastructure, including investing in an important expansion and
renovation of the nationally recognized Orange County Convention Center,” according to
Visit Orlando.
In the early morning hours of June 12, a terrorist attack on Pulse, a gay nightclub in
Orlando, killed 49 victims and wounded approximately 50 others – making it the worst
mass shooting in U.S. history.
o “This was an act of violence born out of hate that inflicted terror on an entire
community. I would call it a hate crime, I would call it terrorism. It’s both,” stated
FBI Special Agent Ron Hopper.
The FBI has given intelligence bulletins to gay clubs in the Orlando area
to give them a heightened sense of awareness, Hopper said. But he said
there is no credible or specific threat of an imminent attack against
Orlando or the United States. Hopper said there is no evidence to
suggest Mateen planned to target any gay club other than Pulse.
o The United Kingdom’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office has no warning in place
for its citizens visiting the United States, nor for Orlando specifically. It does say:
“On 12 June 2016 a firearms attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando,
Florida killed 50 people and injured over 50 others. If you’re in the area,
you should follow the advice of the local authorities.”
“Around 3.8 million British nationals visit the United States every year.
Most visits are trouble free.”
“There is a general threat from terrorism. See Terrorism.”
o The Government of Canada has no warning in place for its citizens visiting the
United “
The official advisory from Canada states, “Exercise normal security
precautions. There is no nationwide advisory in effect for the United
States.”
Alligator attacks on humans in Florida, let alone Orlando, are very rare.
o On the evening of June 14, a two year old boy from Nebraska was attacked by
an alligator at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort.
“The body of 2-year-old Lane Graves had only a few puncture wounds
after the boy was grabbed by an alligator Tuesday night at a Walt Disney
World resort, according to a source familiar with the investigation. Lane’s
body was found Wednesday afternoon, officials said,” according to CNN.
o Walt Disney World closed all beaches in its resort area “out of an abundance of
caution” after the attack, a Disney representative said.
o 2015 marked the first year since 2007 when a fatal alligator attack occurred
within the entire State of Florida.
In an area teeming with alligators, fatal alligator attacks do not happen
often, through a dozen or more bites are recorded a year, according to
statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“People, even small people, are not their typical prey,” noted Nick Wiley,
Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission, who said alligators typically do not feed on humans. He said
the alligator likely confused the small child for a dog or a raccoon.
2. While tourists were not specifically targeted in the June 12 attack on a gay club in
Orlando, travelers should always take precautions wherever they travel to help ensure
their safety and well-being.
While no one can say with certainty that any destination is 100% safe, we strongly
encourage our clients to use care and common sense – no matter where they travel – to
maximize their safety and security. For example:
o Leave your itinerary, and passport data page, with a friend or family member
back home so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
o Know and respect the laws in the country you are visiting.
o Remain alert to your surroundings at all times. Follow your instincts and avoid
any areas or situations that seem as though they could become dangerous.
o Avoid all demonstrations, as even peaceful ones can quickly become unruly and
a foreigner could become a target of harassment. If caught unexpectedly near a
demonstration, obey instructions from police and leave the area as quickly as
possible.
o Ask tour guides and hotel officials about any planned demonstrations in the
locations they plan to visit.
o Do not display expensive looking jewelry, large amounts of money or other
valuable items. Also, do not leave luggage unattended in public areas and do not
accept packages from strangers.
o Check with your cell phone provider prior to departure to see if your phone is
capable of roaming on GSM or 3G/4G international networks.
o Check your medical insurance coverage to make sure it applies overseas. If it
doesn’t, consider buying travel insurance that covers overseas medical attention
and medical evacuation.
For its part, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office – which includes Walt Disney World,
Universal Studios and other destinations in the Orlando area – advises:
o Do not display large amounts of money. Place small amounts in different
pockets to assist with this or use credit cards or travelers checks.
o Make copies of your credit cards front and back and place them in a secured
place for your records (room safe). This can be very useful if you need to report
a lost or stolen card.
o If you see something suspicious, call 911 immediately. When you return to your
hotel, use the main entrance especially in the evening.
o Be wary of solicitors. Use reputable places of business for all your entertainment
transactions.
o Travel in pairs or groups if possible.
o Always have a meeting place for the kids to meet you if they get lost.
o Small children should have their name and phone number placed on their clothes
label or the inside of a shoe flap with a permanent marker in case they are lost.
o Small children should always be led by the hand when crossing the road or near
busy streets.
o Teach your kids your name, house phone and cell phone number.
o Use the sidewalk and pedestrian crossings.
To avoid being attacked by alligators, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Committee recommends:
o Be aware of the possible presence of alligators when in or near fresh or brackish
water. Negative alligator encounters may occur when people do not pay close
attention to their surroundings when working or recreating near water.
o Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water. Never allow
small children to play unsupervised near water.
o Do not swim outside of posted swimming areas or in waters that might be
inhabited by large alligators.
o Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. Therefore, swim only during
daylight hours.
o Do not allow pets to swim, exercise or drink in or near waters that may contain
alligators or in designated swimming areas with humans. Dogs are more
susceptible to being bitten than humans, because dogs resemble the natural
prey of alligators. The sound of dogs barking and playing may draw an alligator
to the area.
o Never feed or entice alligators – it is dangerous and illegal. When fed, alligators
overcome their natural wariness and associate people with food.
o Inform others that feeding alligators is illegal and creates problems for others
who want to use the water for recreational purposes.
o Dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans at boat ramps and fish camps – do not
throw them in the water. Although you are not intentionally feeding alligators
when you do this, the end result can be the same.
o Observe and photograph alligators only from a safe distance. Remember, they
are an important part of Florida’s natural history as well as an integral component
of freshwater ecosystems.
o Leave alligators alone. State law prohibits killing, harassing or possession of
alligators except under permit.
o Never remove an alligator from its natural habitat or accept one as a pet. It is
illegal and dangerous to do so. Handling even small alligators can result in injury.
o If an alligator bites you, the best thing you can do is fight back, making as much
noise and commotion as possible. Hitting or kicking the alligator, or poking it in its
eyes may cause it to release its grip. When alligators seize prey they cannot
easily overpower, they will often let go and retreat.
o Seek immediate medical attention if bitten by an alligator. Alligator bites often
result in serious infection.
3. Safety is our top priority for our clients.
Our business is founded on repeat customers. Therefore, we want to be sure everything
goes off without a hitch.
We provide the facts so our clients can make informed decisions about their travel plans.
o A spokesman for Delta Air Lines said the company has not had a change to its
Orlando flight operations since the shooting.
o A spokesman for Universal Studios, said “the safety of our team members and
guests is always our top priority – but we do not discuss the specifics of our
security plans and procedures.”
o Walt Disney World said in a statement, “Unfortunately we’ve all been living in a
world of uncertainty, and during this time we have increased our security
measures across our properties, adding such visible safeguards as
magnetometers, additional canine units, and law enforcement officers on site, as
well as less visible systems that employ state-of-the-art security technologies.”
We closely monitor the U.S. Department of State website for travel alerts for all
destinations, including those that are most popular with our clients.
Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may
be planning to travel there so they can make determine for themselves if they still wish to
travel.
We also work closely with respected hotels, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators and
other suppliers to remain informed of security precautions they’re taking to guard our
clients’ safety.