Orlando Florida richly deserves its reputation as a destination offering cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages. Orlando, home to Walt Disney World, Universal, and many other attractions, drew over 55 million visitors in 2011, an increase in excess of seven percent over 2010s record of slightly more than 51 million.
Orlando is the countrys top tourist destination. Domestic tourists amounted to over 51 million, an increase of almost 8 percent from the prior year, while international tourists totaled 3.8 million, an increase of 3.5 percent over 2010.
While Orlando claims to be the most visited destination in America, New York City begs to differ. Orlandos tourist figures include travelers to three counties and 36 different cities and towns outside of the city of Orlando. New York City which had 50.5 million visitors in 2011 only counts its five boroughs and does not include visitors to nearby cities such as Newark, New City, New Rochelle, and New Hope.
New York City remains the top overseas destination in the country, with a 33 percent market share.
Orlando counters that the majority of its hotels and all of its major attractions are within a 20 mile tourism corridor and not spread over three counties.
Canada is Orlandos top international market and saw visitor count rise by almost 6 percent to over one million travelers in 2011 vs. 960 thousand the prior year. Domestic leisure visitor count was up over 8 percent to more than 41 million, equal to 75 percent of all visitors.
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