Tourism in Orange County hit a record-breaking $15.8 billion in 2023—and 2024 is keeping pace. At the heart of it all? Anaheim, home to Disneyland and the epicenter of the county’s booming tourism industry. OC World Guest Host Steve Churm sits down with Mike Waterman, the new President & CEO of Visit Anaheim, to talk about resetting the organization’s mission, elevating visitor experiences, and the bold vision for Anaheim’s future. 📍 Infrastructure. 🎯 Reputation. 🚀 Growth. It’s all on the table.

In 2023, tourism spending in Orange County grew to $15.8 billion, an all-time record, and 2024 is on a similar pace. The biggest draw of all is Disneyland, which means the City of Anaheim sits at the center of the county’s tourism industry, and at the epicenter of promoting and marketing this city to visitors for more than six decades has been Visit Anaheim. Since April, Mike Waterman has been at the helm of Visit Anaheim as President and CEO. OC World Guest Host Steve Churm interviews Waterman as he resets the organization’s mission to support an ambitious blueprint to grow amenities and infrastructure to better serve visitors and recalibrate the organization’s reputation and future direction.

In this first-of-its-kind collaboration with Little Saigon TV, OC World has produced a public affairs program for KLCS-PBS about Ted Nguyen and his family, and their journey from Saigon to Orange County – thanks, in large part, to the efforts of their “sponsor” family of Lt. Col. James E. Behnke. Click to watch with Vietnamese subtitles

Concluding the two-part series, OC World Guest Host Shelley Hoss continues her dialogue with OC Sheriff Don Barnes about future initiatives, reforms, and Sheriff Barnes’ commitment to innovative policies that bridge law enforcement and community trust. Missed Part 1? Click here to watch Part 1.

OC World discovers the rich traditions of Northgate, the passion of Down for Dance in promoting inclusivity, and the cultural treasures housed at Bowers Museum, showcasing Orange County’s diversity and spirit.