ORLANDO, Fla. — Visit Orlando CEO Casandra Matej joined Orlando’s Morning News to discuss, among other things, the organization’s goals, the City Beautiful’s record-breaking tourism numbers, and last year’s controversial audit and accusations of fraud.
▶ LISTEN TO ORLANDO’S MORNING NEWS EXPRESS PODCAST ON WDBO
A 2025 audit by Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond revealed several violations of Visit Orlando’s agreement with Orange County, including the misclassification of approximately $3.5 million of tax money as private funds.
Other findings include a failed procurement policy; incorrect return-on-investment calculations; and taxes spent on ineligible expenditures.
READ: Document reveals ‘questionable’ Visit Orlando spending. Is it accurate?
In response, Orange County and Visit Orlando agreed to amend their contract, reclassifying $11 million previously reported private TDT funds as public; updated their operating procedures; enhanced contract monitoring and enforcement; and continued eligibility for TDT funding, but with clearer reporting parameters.
Matej said that the organization is ready to put that audit behind them, and focus more on Orlando tourism, which continues to defy expectations as the number of tourists grows exponentially each year.
Click below to access the full podcast episode.
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