KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Experience Kissimmee, the official tourism authority for Osceola County, Fla., is making strides in sustainability efforts, announcing two new programs starting May 1, 2023.
The first is the expansion of the “It Pays to Meet in Kissimmee” program, where meeting organizations can earn up to $10,000 cashback based on the number of actualized paid room nights. The expanded program will now include Trees4Travel, an initiative to plant trees to help with creating future forests, restoring ecosystems, and supporting biodiversity and local communities. Plus, an investment is made into a United Nations renewable energy carbon credit, which will help reduce a portion of the meeting organizations’ CO2 emissions. For instance, if a meeting organization actualizes 1,500 paid room nights in Kissimmee, Experience Kissimmee will plant 1,500 trees through the Trees4Travel hybrid program. Post-meeting, organizers will receive certificates recognizing their actions in support of sustainability.
“We are proud to be amongst the first DMOs in the nation to offer a carbon reduction program for meetings and conventions,” says Michelle Moore, senior director of meetings sales and services at Experience Kissimmee. “Experience Kissimmee acknowledges that sustainability is of growing importance to meeting planners and delegates, and this is a creative and innovate way to address that.”
The second program will reduce carbon emissions from all air and ground travel conducted by Experience Kissimmee staff by incorporating an emissions calculator into the staff travel request form. The calculator will automatically determine the number of trees that the organization will plant through the Trees4Travel program to rebalance the carbon footprint generated by each business trip.
Experience Kissimmee has been partnering with Trees4Travel on another initiative to encourage sustainability, inviting its clients to join the program by planting trees instead of giving away promotional items during trade shows and conventions.
“At Experience Kissimmee, we recognize the need to contribute in a more ethical, considerate, and regenerative way for the planet and its people,” says DT Minich, president/CEO of Experience Kissimmee. “We are proud of our expanding partnership with Trees4Travel and establishing these progressive initiatives for sustainability.”
