Central.

It is ironic in a state known for its signature beaches that the central region, the most visited area in Florida, would be landlocked. Synonymous with heavyweight attractions such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World, this area is still only an hour's drive from beaches on either coast.

The hub of the central region is Orlando, which bills itself as the world's premier tourist destination. The tourist trade has long been the bread and butter of this city, but it also aggressively seeks the meetings market by offering top-notch facilities for meetings and plenty of family-oriented activities.

In the next few years, scores of venues and hotels with state-of-the-art meeting space will be built or renovated.

* Orlando's Orange County Convention Center will expand from 733,000 square feet to 1.1 million square feet of exhibition space in 1998.

* The Orange County Regional History Center, a restored neoclassic 1927 courthouse with 40,000 square feet of exhibition and educational programming space, is scheduled for completion in 1999.

* The Hampton Inn, formerly the Continental Royale on Sand Lake Road, recently completed a $5 million refurbishment of its rooms, lobby, and meeting facilities.

* The Marriott Orlando World Center is slated to begin the second phase of renovation in July.

* The Buena Vista Palace Resort & Spa features new ecologically friendly EverGreen[TM] rooms complete with filtered tap water, nonallergenic pillows and blankets, dye-free bathroom tissue, and an independent air cleaning system.

* A new, 1,200-room Loews Royal Bali Hotel will be built at Universal Studios Florida by the year 2000.

Several attractions also boast new features. Biblical Gardens, which opened at Cypress Gardens in January, features a botanical display of plants, flowers, and trees cited in the Bible. The New Orlando Science Center opened in February, offering guests an interactive theatrical science presentation on a variety of topics. The Pointe Orlando - a 425,000-square-foot lifestyle entertainment center featuring F.A.O. Schwarz, a 3-D IMAX theater, cinemas, nightclubs, restaurants, and shops - will debut this year, along with the Universal Studios Florida "Behind the Blockbuster" summer attraction.

In 1998, Universal Studios will open the first of four phases to Universal City, which includes an entertainment complex. Additional theme parks and hotels will open by the year 2005, with one of the hotels catering specifically to meetings and conventions groups. The Hard Rock Care will also expand and move to a new building in the entertainment complex in 1998.

Walt Disney World is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 1997, so visitors can expect elaborate celebrations throughout the year. Of specific interest to meeting planners is the opening of the long-awaited Coronado Springs Resort, Walt Disney World's first moderately priced and largest convention hotel. Opening this summer, the hotel will offer 95,000 square feet of flexible space, including the Southeast's largest ballroom, the Coronado Ballroom with 60,124 square feet.

Disney is also combining its Disney University and Disney Institute, a merger that combines professional development seminars with personal enrichment experiences. The "new" Disney Institute features state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities along with excellent team-building programs.

Finally, Disney Magic, the first cruise ship in the Disney Cruise Line, will set sail in 1998, offering a different type of Disney atmosphere for meeting and incentive groups.

The Kissimmee-St. Cloud area lies on the outskirts of Orlando, and while the attractions may not be as flamboyant, it certainly offers a pleasing atmosphere for meetings of all sizes. The Hyatt Orlando in Kissimmee - St. Cloud's main tourist corridor is currently renovating all of its rooms, upgrading its business center, and repainting its convention center. The Tupperware Convention Center is adding an additional 24,000 square feet of trade show and conference space by late 1997, which brings the total meeting space to 77,000 square feet.

For off-site venues, consider A World of Orchids, with 4,000 square feet of meeting space situated among a botanical conservatory. The Oaks Golf Club recently finished construction on a new clubhouse that can easily accommodate groups of up to 150. The Kissimmee Bay County Club, noted for its championship golf course and the Langley Golf Museum, has added 2,400 square feet of meeting and event space.

In Howie in the Hills just north of Orlando, the Mission Inn has a new Legends Banquet Room with 3,000 square feet of space, plus a 3,000-square-foot outdoor terrace. The facility currently has more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, a championship golf course, experiential training courses for executives, and a cruise yacht for group excursions on the nearby lake.

The Lakeland area recently completed a $20 million expansion and renovation project at The Lakeland Center and can now offer 90,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. Lakeland also offers additional meeting space in local hotel properties.

Only eight miles from downtown Orlando, Altamonte Springs is an ideal setting for board retreats and smaller conventions. The city's biggest meeting venue is the Orlando North Hilton with 18,000 square feet. The Holiday Inn in Altamonte Springs offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space, the Embassy Suites has 7,000 square feet, and the Ramada Inn North in Longwood features 5,000 square feet.

Highlights...

* A "Professional Meeting Planners Guide" and "Orlando Golf Planner" are now available free of charge from the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau.

* The Orlando Official Visitor Information Center has relocated as well as changed its name. The Official Visitor Center is located at 8723 International Drive, Suite 101, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.