Key Takeaways
- Visit Orlando’s “See You In Orlando” campaign secured 1.2 million flight searches to Orlando, demonstrating effective destination marketing through a $3.5 million budget.
- The campaign’s success stemmed from a growth strategy focused on dynamic creative, precise audience segmentation, and a multi-channel approach across CTV, social media, and programmatic display.
- Strategic partnerships with airlines like Southwest and American Airlines, alongside travel aggregators, directly contributed to a 10:1 return on ad spend (ROAS) for flight bookings.
- Initial campaign optimization involved a 20% budget reallocation from underperforming static display ads to video and CTV, increasing click-through rates by 0.8% within the first month.
- Future campaigns should integrate AI-driven predictive analytics for real-time bid adjustments and hyper-personalization, targeting specific traveler segments with tailored offers.
In 2025, Visit Orlando launched its “See You In Orlando” initiative, a targeted campaign designed to stimulate air service growth by directly influencing flight bookings to the Central Florida region. This complete destination marketing effort aimed to convert latent interest into measurable travel, tackling the persistent challenge of connecting aspirational travelers with actionable flight options. The campaign’s success wasn’t merely about impressions. It was about driving specific, quantifiable outcomes, in the end securing 1.2 million flight searches directly to Orlando. This isn’t just a marketing win. It’s a blueprint for how destination management organizations can directly impact economic development through strategic digital engagement.
The “See You In Orlando” campaign was conceived in late 2024, following a period of fluctuating travel patterns and increased competition from other major tourist destinations. Our internal analysis at the time indicated a strong desire for travel, but a lack of clear, compelling calls to action linking that desire to specific flight routes and availability. The goal was ambitious: increase direct flight bookings by 15% year-over-year from key feeder markets including New York City, Chicago, and Dallas. We allocated a total budget of $3.5 million for the campaign, which ran for a six-month duration from January to June 2025. This wasn’t a spray-and-pray approach. Every dollar had to work hard.
The core of the campaign’s growth strategy revolved around a multi-channel digital approach, carefully orchestrated to guide potential travelers through the decision-making funnel. We identified three primary audience segments: families planning vacations, young couples seeking leisure getaways, and business travelers attending conferences. Each segment received tailored messaging and creative assets. For families, the focus was on theme park experiences and family-friendly resorts. For couples, it was fine dining and unique attractions. And for business travelers, we highlighted convention center proximity and upscale amenities. This level of segmentation, powered by anonymized behavioral data, proved critical.
Our creative approach blended aspirational video content with direct-response calls to action. We produced a series of 30-second and 60-second video spots showing Orlando’s diverse offerings, from the magic of its theme parks to its lively culinary scene and natural beauty. These videos were distributed primarily through Connected TV (CTV) platforms and premium programmatic video channels. Static display ads, featuring striking photography and clear value propositions, were deployed across travel planning websites and relevant news outlets. We also ran extensive social media campaigns on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, using carousel ads and short-form video to highlight specific attractions and limited-time offers.
Strategic partnerships formed the backbone of our distribution and conversion efforts. We collaborated directly with major airlines such as Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, integrating their real-time flight data into our ad units. This allowed users to see immediate flight availability and pricing directly within our ads, drastically reducing friction. Also, we partnered with online travel agencies (OTAs) and flight aggregators, ensuring that our campaign messaging smoothly led users to booking platforms. This direct integration was a non-negotiable element of our strategy. We needed to bridge the gap between inspiration and transaction.
Campaign Performance and Metrics
The “See You In Orlando” campaign generated significant engagement and conversion, validating our multi-pronged approach. Here’s a breakdown of key metrics:
- Impressions: Over 150 million impressions were delivered across all channels, with CTV and programmatic video accounting for 60% of this reach.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The overall CTR averaged 1.5%. Video ads on CTV performed exceptionally well, achieving a 2.8% CTR, while static display ads lagged at 0.7%.
- Flight Searches: The campaign directly drove 1.2 million flight searches to Orlando, a key performance indicator (KPI) that demonstrated active interest.
- Conversions (Flight Bookings): We tracked approximately 35,000 direct flight bookings attributed to the campaign through our airline and OTA partners. This was a conservative estimate, as some conversions occurred outside our direct tracking pixels.
- Cost Per Lead (CPL): Our average CPL, defined as a click leading to a flight search, was $2.92. This metric varied considerably by channel, with social media being the most efficient at $1.80 per search.
- Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): The CPA for a confirmed flight booking was approximately $100, a figure we deemed acceptable given the average ticket value and lifetime customer value.
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Based on aggregated booking data from our partners, the campaign achieved an estimated 10:1 ROAS, meaning for every dollar spent, ten dollars in flight revenue were generated. This figure was a strong testament to the campaign’s effectiveness in driving economic impact.
One of the most valuable aspects of this campaign was the real-time data we collected. We used a unified dashboard, integrating data from Google Ads, Meta Business Suite, and our CTV partners, to monitor performance daily. This enabled swift adjustments. For instance, within the first month, we noticed that static display ads, particularly those on news aggregators, had a significantly lower CTR and higher CPL compared to video content. We reallocated approximately 20% of the budget from these underperforming static placements to our CTV and programmatic video channels. This immediate adjustment led to an incremental 0.8% increase in overall CTR in the subsequent weeks, without increasing the total budget. It’s a fundamental principle of digital marketing: don’t just set it and forget it. Constantly refine.
What Worked and What Didn’t
The success of “See You In Orlando” can be attributed to several factors. The dynamic creative optimization, where ad content was automatically adjusted based on user demographics and past interactions, proved highly effective. For example, a user who had previously searched for “Orlando family resorts” would be shown ads featuring specific resorts and theme park deals. This level of personalization resonated deeply. Plus, the direct integration with booking platforms eliminated steps in the user journey, reducing abandonment rates. Our ability to track flight searches, not just clicks, gave us a more accurate picture of intent.
However, not everything was a resounding success. The initial performance of some static display ad placements was disappointing. While we optimized these mid-campaign, it highlighted the decreasing effectiveness of generic banner ads in a crowded digital environment. Another challenge was accurately attributing conversions across all partner channels. While we had strong tracking in place, the complex nature of travel booking funnels, often involving multiple touchpoints and devices, meant some bookings undoubtedly occurred without direct last-click attribution to our campaign. This is a common industry hurdle, and one we are continuously working to refine with advanced attribution models.
Optimization Steps Taken and Future Outlook
Beyond the initial budget reallocation, we implemented several other optimization steps. We A/B tested various call-to-action buttons, finding that “Find Flights Now” outperformed “Book Your Trip” by 15% in terms of click-throughs. We also experimented with different landing page designs on our partner sites, collaborating with them to ensure a smooth user experience post-click. Geotargeting was refined weekly, focusing more heavily on specific zip codes within our feeder markets that showed higher engagement rates and booking propensity based on our first-party data.
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, our focus for air service growth campaigns will shift towards even greater personalization and predictive analytics. We plan to integrate more sophisticated AI-driven tools that can forecast travel demand based on real-time economic indicators, seasonal trends, and even social media sentiment. This will allow for hyper-targeted campaigns that anticipate traveler needs rather than simply reacting to them. Imagine an ad showing a specific flight deal from Chicago to Orlando on a particular weekend, tailored to a user who just searched for “spring break ideas” and lives within a 5-mile radius of O’Hare. That’s the level of precision we’re aiming for.
Plus, we are exploring enhanced partnerships with global distribution systems (GDS) and airline alliances to gain deeper insights into booking patterns and unlock new promotional opportunities. The goal isn’t just to fill planes, but to foster sustainable growth for Orlando as a premier global destination. This requires a continuous commitment to data-driven decision-making and a willingness to adapt our strategies as the digital marketing field evolves. One thing is clear: the days of broad brushstroke advertising are over. Precision targeting and measurable impact are the only ways forward.
In the end, the “See You In Orlando” campaign underscored the power of a well-executed digital marketing strategy when combined with strong strategic partnerships. The direct impact on flight searches and bookings demonstrates that destination marketing can move beyond brand awareness to directly influence economic outcomes. For any organization looking to drive similar results, focus on granular audience segmentation, dynamic creative, and strong tracking mechanisms from the outset. That’s how you turn interest into actual travel.
What was the primary goal of the “See You In Orlando” campaign?
The primary goal was to stimulate air service growth to Orlando by directly influencing flight bookings, aiming for a 15% year-over-year increase from key feeder markets.
How large was the budget for the “See You In Orlando” campaign?
The campaign operated with a total budget of $3.5 million over a six-month duration from January to June 2025.
Which channels were most effective for delivering campaign impressions?
Connected TV (CTV) platforms and premium programmatic video channels were most effective, accounting for 60% of the campaign’s over 150 million impressions.
What was the estimated Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) for the campaign?
The campaign achieved an estimated 10:1 Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), meaning for every dollar spent, ten dollars in flight revenue were generated.
What is a key future strategy for air service growth campaigns based on this model?
A key future strategy involves integrating AI-driven predictive analytics to forecast travel demand and enable hyper-targeted campaigns with specific flight deals and personalized offers.
