Women's Leadership Impact Initiative (WLII) Explores Orlando Tourism and Economic Impact During Educational Tour at Dr. Phillips Center

ORLANDO, Fla. — September 2026 — The Women’s Leadership Impact Initiative (WLII) welcomed members of the Central Florida community to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on September 1, 2026, for a special educational tour focused on the economic impact of arts, entertainment and tourism in Orlando.

Presented as part of WLII’s Tourism Impact Initiative – Central Florida, the experience was designed to go beyond a traditional venue tour. Participants had the opportunity to explore the Dr. Phillips Center while learning more about the broader economic ecosystem that develops around major cultural and entertainment destinations.

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The morning offered an opportunity to look at Orlando tourism from a different perspective. While Central Florida is internationally recognized for its theme parks, the region’s tourism economy extends far beyond those attractions. Performing arts, Broadway productions, concerts, ballet, opera, live entertainment, and cultural experiences also bring residents and visitors into Downtown Orlando, creating activity that can benefit hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, parking facilities, retailers, and other nearby businesses.

For WLII, this was exactly the type of conversation the Tourism Impact Initiative was created to encourage.

The September 1 experience gave participants a closer look at how a major cultural institution operates and how the impact of an event can extend far beyond what happens on stage. A performance does not begin economically when the curtain rises. Visitors may dine before a show, stay in a nearby hotel, use transportation services, pay for parking, shop locally or continue their evening at another Downtown Orlando business.

Together, those individual decisions create a larger tourism ecosystem.

Participants also learned more about the many people and professions required to support an arts and entertainment venue. The economic influence of a destination such as the Dr. Phillips Center includes not only audience spending, but also the employees, vendors, creative professionals, technical teams and service providers connected to its operations and programming.

The tour created meaningful conversations about the relationship between arts, hospitality, entertainment, tourism and local business development, and helped participants better understand how these industries work together to strengthen Central Florida’s economy.

The event was also an opportunity for professional women and community members to connect while learning about an industry that plays an important role in the region.

For the Women’s Leadership Impact Initiative, education is not limited to classrooms or formal leadership workshops. Exposure to new organizations, industries and ideas can help professionals better understand the communities in which they work and identify opportunities for collaboration, entrepreneurship and leadership.

The Dr. Phillips Center educational tour was an example of that approach in action.

Participants left the experience with a greater appreciation for the role cultural tourism plays in Orlando and for the network of businesses and professionals that can benefit when people come together for arts and entertainment.

The visit also reinforced one of the central messages behind WLII’s Tourism Impact Initiative:

Orlando tourism is much more than theme parks.

Central Florida’s tourism economy is an interconnected network that includes arts and culture, entertainment, hospitality, restaurants, retail, transportation, professional services, local businesses and the people who make those industries possible.

Understanding those connections is important not only for people working directly in tourism, but also for business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders throughout the region.

The Women’s Leadership Impact Initiative was pleased with the strong engagement and enthusiasm surrounding the September 1 experience. The event created an opportunity to learn, ask questions, connect with others and see one of Orlando’s best-known cultural institutions through an economic-development lens.

Most importantly, participants came away with new information and a broader understanding of how tourism creates ripple effects throughout the community.

WLII plans to continue developing educational experiences through the Tourism Impact Initiative – Central Florida, highlighting organizations, industries and destinations that help shape the region’s economy and create opportunities for businesses and professionals.

These experiences are part of the organization’s broader commitment to providing women with access to education, professional development, meaningful connections and greater awareness of the economic forces shaping Central Florida.

As WLII continues expanding its programs and partnerships, the organization hopes to create additional opportunities for participants to step inside important institutions, learn directly from industry leaders and explore the many ways business, leadership and community impact intersect.

The September 1 visit to the Dr. Phillips Center demonstrated the value of that approach.

It was an educational experience, a networking opportunity and, most importantly, a reminder that every major destination exists within a much larger community.

Tourism is more than a destination. It is an economic ecosystem that connects people, businesses and communities.

To learn more about upcoming programs, educational experiences and the Women’s Leadership Impact Initiative, visit womensleadershipimpactinitiative.org.