Travel

This interview with Jason Holic of Experience Kissimmee reveals a lethal risk of tourism, along with a possible solution.

In a destination built around sunshine, pools, and family vacations, water is part of the experience. But in Experience Kissimmee, that reality also revealed a serious challenge.

The Hidden Cost of Backyard Pools

“One of the most attractive aspects of Florida is our abundance of water activities, and this is true of the many pools and other features in Kissimmee,” said Jason Holic. “Many of these pools are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.”

But access does not always come with awareness.

“However, not all visitors are aware of the level of supervision and safety precautions required to maintain a positive swimming experience, especially in the presence of children.”

The issue came into focus through local data.

The data shows upwards of 450 deaths by unintentional drowning in Florida each year.

“Our partners in Osceola County government alerted us to water safety data indicating Fire Rescue & EMS and Sheriff’s Office responses to incidents in areas with high levels of vacation rental properties,” Holic explained. The data shows upwards of 450 deaths by unintentional drowning in Florida each year. “Other reports have also shared that some drowning victims were also on the autism spectrum.”

Data to Action: Creating “Mission Zero”

As a destination marketing organization, Experience Kissimmee was not positioned to lead a public health initiative. But they chose to act anyway.

“As a destination marketing organization primarily funded by the Tourist Development Tax, our primary responsibility is to market the destination to drive visitation and grow the positive impacts of the visitor economy,” Holic said. “Our ability to influence public health matters is limited.”

“However, after learning of the statistics and lack of a Water Safety Task Force dedicated to Osceola County, we decided to take action anyway.”

That decision led to a collaborative effort across the community.

“We convened a task force consisting of representatives from the Department of Health, Fire Rescue & EMS, the Sheriff’s Office, the School District, resort hotels, vacation rental management companies, a local water park, and other business and civic leaders.”

The group aligned around a shared goal.

“The task force reviewed the data and trends and reached consensus on establishing what was coined “Mission Zero,” our vision to prevent all drowning deaths within Osceola County, whether from residents or visitors.”

“Mission Zero,” our vision to prevent all drowning deaths within Osceola County, whether from residents or visitors.”

A Simple, Scalable Solution

Rather than pursuing a costly or complex campaign, the group focused on something practical and replicable.

“We broke off into blue sky brainstorming groups to field all sorts of ideas and concepts for review and vetting,” Holic said. “Over the course of a couple of months, the task force settled on a concept we deemed to be easily executable and potentially replicable across the state and even nation.”

The result was a pre-arrival education strategy.

“In partnership with task force members including the Department of Health, our team developed pre-arrival communication templates for vacation rental managers to implement in their email and text automations to confirmed guests.”

These messages are designed to meet visitors before they ever arrive, directing guests to visit the water safety landing page on experiencekissimmee.com with the added incentive of exclusive discounts after watching a one minute safety video.

“Each month, the Experience Kissimmee team solicits and updates the available offers, aiming to have at least seven in rotation at any moment.”

Cut Costs, Keep the Change

The fun, family focused video shares clear, actionable steps for a safer pool experience.

“In a fun and engaging way, the video reinforces the importance of adult supervision, the proper functioning of door alarms and access gates, and the need to remove toys as a pool attractant and visibility impediment.”

The video was another part of community engagement, keeping costs minimal. “The safety video was developed at cost by a local marketing agency that participated in the task force,” Holic said. “The script and final cut were reviewed and approved by the Department of Health.”

Good for Guests, Good for Locals

While vacation rental partners are key channels, the initiative has quickly grown beyond that initial audience.

“In addition to distribution via the vacation rental property management companies, other local stakeholders including the Sheriff’s Office have spread the word among their stakeholders and community members,” Holic said. “This expands the potential reach from just vacation rental guests to all visitors and residents in Osceola County.”

The program is also being integrated into influencer and media visits.

“Media and content creators Experience Kissimmee hosts at vacation rentals with pools are introduced to the water watcher program.”

Some partners are also going even further, supplementing instructions and training.

What Good Is It?

When asked about the impact, Holic acknowledged that it’s still too early to tell, but momentum continues to grow and the outlook is bright.

“The program is still expanding to more vacation rental management companies and is only a couple of months old,” Holic said. “There has been tremendous interest in the water safety and public health communities in the region, and the interest is spreading to other destinations and locations within the state.”

The long-term goal is broader adoption.

“Our hope is that other destinations see the work that we’ve done, how we’ve minimized cost and avoided using TDT funds, and that they are able to adapt the program to their unique needs.”

Your Turn to “Be the Change”

For destinations facing similar challenges, Holic’s advice is clear.

“Convene others within your destination and see what collective action you can take,” he said. “You may be surprised how willing and eager others are, especially those outside the typical tourism industry circles, when it comes to even potentially saving lives or influencing behavior to address other public priorities.”

And in doing so, destinations may discover a new kind of impact.

“It’s not something we get to do every day in destination marketing, and it can only serve to increase our relevance and support within the communities we serve.”