Kissimmee has just earned the top spot in Travel + Leisure’s list of the best affordable U.S. winter getaway locations, according to Experience Kissimmee’s President and CEO D.T. Minich.
Speaking at the “Expedition Kissimmee” travel trade show at Margaritaville Resort on Wednesday, Minich attributed much of the area’s vacation affordability to the increasing popularity of vacation homes. “We have trademarked the term ‘Vacation Home Capital of the World,’” Minich said. “We’ve verified that we have more vacation homes here in Osceola County than anywhere else in the world, with 32,000 homes.” At some times of year, he added, vacation home rentals can average $200-$250 per night. “Not only is it the same price or similar to a hotel room, but then you don’t have to eat three meals out if you have your own kitchen,” which he noted helps visitors save even more.
Tourism continues to drive Osceola County’s economy, and Minich said Kissimmee’s global markets remained strong this year, buoyed by interest in Universal’s new Epic Universe. “The UK has been a really strong market for us this summer, with the opening of Epic,” Minich said. “The Brits absolutely adore the theme parks.”
And while theme parks remain a major draw, Minich recognized Kissimmee’s natural landscapes and independent attractions as additional options for tourists. “This is the only place in the world where you can stand in the shadow of the world’s most famous castle and literally 30 minutes away, you can be kayaking in the shadow of a 400-year-old cypress tree,” he said. From Shingle Creek — the headwaters of the Everglades, to dark sky viewing, to legacy attractions like Gatorland, Kissimmee offers experiences that appeal to a wide range of travelers.
Minich also highlighted the county’s growing culinary tourism, including the new Latin Restaurant Trail. “We’re one of the fastest-growing counties, but we’re also one of the most diversified,” he said. “Fifty-six percent of our population is Hispanic, and the Hispanic community is made up of so many different countries and cultures,” he said. Curated by Atlas Obscura/Gastro Obscura, the Trail lists 20 local restaurants that offer an array of cuisines – Colombian, Mexican, Caribbean, Brazilian, Peruvian, Venezuelan, and others. “Most of these restaurants are mom-and-pop … a lot of them are second and third generation,” Minich said. “Go in a little Cuban café in downtown Kissimmee, and there’s three generations working in that restaurant that the grandparents started. Amazing stories of how they had the gumption and knowhow to put together this restaurant.”
To learn more about the Latin Restaurant Trail, visit https://kissimmee-latin-culinary-trail.atlasobscura.com.
As the region prepares for winter visitors, Experience Kissimmee leaders say their role remains steady: to ensure the health of the tourism product in the Kissimmee area. “We depend on tourism and our front-line employees,” Minich said. “If there’s not a convention in this hotel, if it’s not busy, then they don’t get the hours.” He added that the organization’s research department monitors room nights, economic impact, occupancy levels, and attendance at attractions. “We’re trying to get as many ‘heads in beds’ as we can,” he said.
Osceola County collects a tourist development tax on every short-term accommodation, and 45% of the funds collected is allocated to Experience Kissimmee. That funding not only goes toward marketing the destination but also is invested back into the community through a grants program that, this year, funded more than 52 local events, as well as organizations like Osceola Arts, the Silver Spurs Club, Osceola History, and more. “So there’s a lot of funds that we moved back out into the community to make the community a better place for us all,” Minich said.
Visit https://www.experiencekissimmee.com to learn more about Experience Kissimmee.
