Experience Kissimmee’s CEO delivers a message: We have the kind of value that Canadians are looking for
BOB MOWAT
If it’s summer – well, sometimes spring – the Canadian travel trade can expect a visit from DT Minich. Minich, the CEO of Experience Kissimmee, has been making the annual trip to Canada for years now, updating the Canadian trade on what’s new in his destination and tapping into the latest market intelligence from Canadian partners.
This year, Minich’s message – both simple and straightforward – was all about value. And, naturally, he sprinkled in a few new developments for good measure.
“You can have a full theme park experience with the convenience of your own rental home,” Minich said, referring to Kissimmee’s huge inventory of vacation homes and the value that kind of accommodation offers Canadian visitors. “Canadians are looking at where they can save money. If the airfares are higher, where can they save and that’s where they can save some money – on accommodations and on meals.”
As for the Canadian market, Minich told Travel Courier that: “It has been coming back strong. We’ve had some of the air service that was pulled reinstated or it’s getting ready to be reinstated.”
And new data reveals positive arrivals figures.
“We just got some stats from MCO [Orlando airport] and the load factors and everything are very positive and very strong, so, we’re confident in the Canadian market,” Minich said. “I’m up here every year no matter what and we believe in the Canadian market and we’re going to stay with it. And it is showing positive signs and we’re hoping that that positive track will continue in the future – we’re really confident about it.”
Back to value and something that Minich has been talking about in the Canadian market for a number of years is vacation homes – an accommodation option that he points out will be rather appealing to currency-conscious Canadian travellers.
“Our 30,000 units of Vacation Home product lets visitors rent a two- or three-bedroom home at Encore [they start at 3-bedroom at Encore] at this time of year [August/Summer] for about $250 a night — and that’s a 3-bedroom with a private swimming pool and a BBQ grill in the backyard.”
And he emphasizes that neighbourhoods like Encore where there are 800 homes are all vacation rentals.
“There are no mailboxes. There are no school buses. None of that. None of these 30,000 units is AirBnB – this is all professionally managed,” he explained.
Minich also pointed out that in the middle of these 800 homes is a resort complex, telling Travel Courier: “You’ve got a full-service restaurant and bar. You’ve got a concierge desk. You’ve got a fitness centre. You have a huge swimming pool with the waterslides and food service. So, you have all the amenities of a resort, but the convenience of your own home.”
For families, Minich said that these vacation homes are a great option. They can go to the theme parks during the day and then come back to the home, hop in the pool, barbecue dinner and relax or, they can go across the street and enjoy a nice sit down dinner at the restaurant in the resort complex area.
And speaking of food, well it has become pretty clear that today’s travellers are looking for a culinary experience when they go on vacation and Kissimmee has certainly come up with its own unique culinary offer.
Minich talked about the destination’s Latin Culinary Trail when he sat down with Travel Courier last year and the trail is now launched and “has been tremendously successful.”
He told TC that: “People have really embraced [the Latin Culinary Trail] and we’re now up to 40 different restaurants on the trail. Virtually every Latin American country, as well as the Caribbean are represented. These are all Mom & Pop type – these are authentic.”
Said Minich: “You know, culinary travel is really one of the hot topics right now. People want local, authentic experiences [and that’s what the Latin Culinary Trail provides].”
While many destinations have a Beer Trail or a Wine Trail, with a population that is 57% Hispanic, a Latin Culinary Trail was clearly something that was unique to Kissimmee.
“It really promotes our diversity and there are amazing stories behind a lot of these restaurants, where there’s three generations of family working in the restaurant and they’re using their abuela’s [grandmother in Spanish] recipes,” Minich explained. “So, it’s not just a Culinary Trail – saying here’s these restaurants, but it’s here are these amazing stories of these people and what the food means to them. And food is so important in Latin culture.”
While the Latin Culinary Trail is creating lots of buzz for Kissimmee, the Ovation Place development is moving right along and is set to open in late 2028.
It will be located right on Disney’s doorstep – on I-4 and 192 across from Celebration – and will feature a 4-star hotel and about 900,000 square feet of upscale shopping and dining and then two 3-star hotels once it has been completed.
Minich also said that there are plans in place for a new hotel and small convention centre in downtown Kissimmee that is expected to start in the next six months, with an opening scheduled for late 2028 or early 2029.
As for what makes Kissimmee different, Minich will tell you that: “There’s two areas where we differentiate dramatically from Orlando… where we differentiate is the Vacation Home product – which Orlando virtually doesn’t have – and the second thing is the natural attractions.”
There’s ziplining over swamps and alligators or kayaking in Shingle Creek which is the headwaters of the Everglades.
Minich also pointed out that “Kissimmee is an Indigenous name that was given to the area hundreds, if not thousands of years ago, and Kissimmee means Long Waters. So, you know, we’ve got tremendous eco opportunities — the air boat rides — you know, Osceola County has the largest population of American bald eagles outside of Alaska, so that differentiates us.”
“You can be standing in the shadow of the world’s most famous castle – Cinderella’s Castle – and literally, if you get in your car, 30 minutes later, you could be kayaking on Shingle Creek in the shadow of 300 or 400-year old Cypress trees,” Minich told TC, before adding with a smile: “And that’s absolutely authentic.”
