Before the 2025 Trade Show Executive (TSE) Fastest 50 Awards & Summit kicks off in Orlando, TSE spoke with Casandra Matej, President and CEO of Visit Orlando, about how the city drives event success.
ANDREW: What makes Orlando a unique city for event organizers?
CASANDRA: What makes Orlando a unique destination for trade shows is the ease in which planners can create well-attended and productive trade shows of any size.
We are committed to service, ensuring that our team works closely with planners to make the critical connections within our destination. And, we have all of the facilities and amenities trade show planners are looking for, from large meeting spaces to special venues to a wide range of hotel rooms, Michelin recognized dining and some of the best entertainment in the world.
This year we’re seeing record-breaking shows from the 2025 PGA Show, which held its largest show in 15 years with more than 33,000 attendees and 1,100 exhibitors, and VMX 2025, which welcomed nearly 30,000 attendees and 735 exhibitors.
ANDREW: What makes the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) a special venue?
CASANDRA: The OCCC stands out for its customer experience, prime location and capacity to host some of the largest and most influential events in the world.
With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, the OCCC offers unmatched flexibility and state-of-the-art infrastructure to support a wide range of events. Beyond its size and capabilities, what truly sets the OCCC apart is its commitment to exceptional service, sustainability and community impact.
Connected to more than 5,200 hotel rooms and conveniently located near world-class dining and entertainment, the Center consistently creates an environment where innovation, collaboration and unforgettable experiences thrive.
ANDREW: What other venues can show organizers find in Orlando, and what are some of their key features?
CASANDRA: Located within walking distance of the Orange County Convention Center, Live! at The Pointe Orlando is a new 73,000-square-foot immersive indoor and outdoor dining and entertainment destination at Pointe Orlando.
Anchored by several restaurants including Sports & Social, a PBR Cowboy Bar, Shark Bar, and the Houndsmen English Lounge, the area also includes Live! Plaza, a 37,000 square-foot space for special events.
In downtown Orlando, Judson’s Live brings a low-key, 150-seat, cabaret-style music space with unparalleled sound to the spectacular Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Groups can experience all types of music genres during scheduled 50-minute performances while enjoying specialty cocktails and a seasonal scratch-kitchen menu of shareable bites.
Epilogue, a new adult-only speakeasy, recently opened at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, is available for private events ranging from two to four hours for up to 30 guests. The new intimate lounge features a library-inspired theme and offers a variety of specialty, on-theme cocktails.
Evermore Orlando Resort and Conrad Orlando are in their second year of operations.
Evermore Orlando Resort is Orlando’s first beach-like property and features a 20-acre sandy beach centered around the 8-acre crystalline Evermore Bay and includes a range of 2-to-11-bedroom vacation homes and The Boathouse, a 2,500 square foot meeting venue.
Located at Evermore Orlando Resort, the Conrad Orlando is the destination’s first Hilton luxury brand and features 433 rooms, a spa, numerous dining options — including its signature rooftop experience — and 65,000 square feet of flexible indoor-outdoor meeting space.
ANDREW: Are there any new venues — or enhanced features to existing venues — coming to the city this year?
CASANDRA: In Orlando we’re continuously ushering in new meetings innovation with new experiences and venues for planners to include in their agendas this year and beyond.
The iconic Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin completed the renovation of all 756 guest rooms and suites in the Swan hotel and are embarking on the largest renovation and expansion in the property’s history highlighted by the addition of 120,000 square feet of event space to its current meeting and convention floor plan.
Looking beyond 2025, a huge new development for our destination is the OCCC Grand Concourse Expansion, a transformational project that will bring an additional 44,000 square feet of meeting space and a 100,000-square-foot ballroom to the Center’s North-South Building. Construction will begin in 2026 and is expected to finish in 2029.
ANDREW: What offsite experience opportunities does Orlando offer?
CASANDRA: Orlando is filled with offsite experience opportunities for planners to include in their agendas.
From the magic of Walt Disney World® Resort to aquatic wonderlands at SeaWorld® Orlando, and the endless excitement of Universal Orlando Resort, our world-famous theme parks provide distinct group experiences and also make Orlando the perfect destination for attendees to bring their families and extend their stay.
Orlando’s lakes, natural springs and bike trails present a perfect backdrop for attendees looking to go from the trade show floor to the great outdoors. Airboat rides — including Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures, Spirit of the Swamp airboat rides, and Wild Florida — plus kayaking, fishing and swimming with manatees are just a few of the choices for outdoor experiences.
Perfect for teambuilding, groups can tackle a challenging zipline obstacle course at Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park and Screamin’ Gator Zip Line at Gatorland.
Orlando is also home to a mix of contemporary and traditional art and culture venues where attendees can take in a hit Broadway show at the Dr. Phillips Center or check out engaging exhibits and collections at Rollins Museum of Art, Orlando Museum of Art and the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts. These venues also offer stunning event spaces that will put groups right in the middle of our cultural scene.
ANDREW: Are there any new offsite experience opportunities coming to the city?
CASANDRA: This May, we welcome Orlando’s first new theme park in 25 years with the grand opening of Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park, Universal Epic Universe.
This expansive park will offer planners another large-scale, off-site venue as it features over 50 attractions across five immersive worlds, such as Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Ministry of Magic™, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.
Universal has also added three new hotels with the recent openings of Universal Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts, and the upcoming opening of the Universal Grand Helios, a Loews Hotel, which will feature an entrance to Universal Epic Universe. These new hotel additions will add to the nearly 500 hotels and more than the 130,000 rooms already available in our destination.
Blue Man Group returns to Orlando later this year with a new residency show featuring its signature mix of art, live music, comedy and non-verbal storytelling. The multi-sensory performance will take place in a custom-built 578-seat theater located beneath the towering 400-ft. Orlando Eye, as the centerpiece of ICON Park’s entrance. Group packages and add-ons including VIP Experiences will be available.
ANDREW: Are there any hidden gems in the city that show organizers should know about?
CASANDRA: The districts and nearby cities that encompass the Orlando area are filled with marquee meeting and event options that planners could consider to be hidden gems. The Milkhouse near downtown Orlando offers unique tapas-style bites and house-made signature cocktails.
Local farm-to-table dining can be found at Market To Table, a modern American restaurant nestled in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden (only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando) or Boca in Winter Park which bases its menu on the local food movement and sources ingredients from nearby farmers and specialty food purveyors wherever possible.
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