Orlando welcomed nearly 45 million visitors in 2003 -- a 4.7 percent increase from 2002, setting an overall record for number of visitors to the Orlando area levels, according to the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. ® (Orlando CVB).

Domestic visitors accounted for 42.68 million visitors, or 95 percent of total visitation. International visits totaled 2.3 million. Among domestic travelers, leisure visitation increased 4.8 percent to 33.1 million and visits from business travelers rose 6.5 percent to 9.6 million. The number of visitors in town to attend meetings and conventions remained unchanged at 3.5 million.

Visitation to Orlando by Florida residents totaled 22.6 million in 2003, down 3.4 percent from 2002, while out of state visitation rose 16.8 percent to 20.1 million. Florida residents accounted for 53 percent of domestic visits to Orlando in 2003, down from 58 percent in 2002 when in-state travel soared after the economic downturn in 2001 and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The average leisure travel party in 2003 consisted of 2.9 visitors and spent an average of $1,534 in Orlando over the course of 3.0 nights. While party size and length of stay were essentially unchanged from 2002, the average spending per leisure travel party was up 5.1 percent. Nearly two-thirds (62.3 percent) of leisure visitors in 2003 spent at least one night in Orlando, while one-third (37.7 percent) visited for a day. The average length of stay among overnight leisure visitors was 4.5 nights, barely changed from 4.4 nights in 2002.

Total international visitation decreased 3.4 percent in 2003 to 2.3 million. The 2003 decline was modest as compared to declines of 18 percent in 2001 and 22 percent in 2002. Overseas visitation, which excludes arrivals from Canada and Mexico, declined 5.7 percent to 1.8 million. The United Kingdom continued to be Orlando’s top international market in 2003 with visitation rising 5.4 percent to 937,000.

The average length of stay in Orlando among overseas visitors in 2003 was 8.9 nights, higher than the 2002 average of 8.4 nights. In contrast to domestic travelers, overseas visitors continue to be heavier users of travel packages offered by tour operators and travel agents. In 2003, one-third (36.8 percent) of overseas visitors to Orlando purchased a travel package.

Travel agents are the number one source of information for overseas visitors to Orlando, but, at 55.4 percent in 2003, the percentage using a travel agent has declined from 57.5 percent in 2002, 62.7 percent in 2001 and 65.2 percent in 2000. Additionally, use of a personal computer for travel information has increased from 17.8 percent in 2001 to 24.3 percent in 2002 and to 28.0 percent in 2003.