Donnelly launches Orlando football attraction
Midlands travel entrepreneur John Donnelly has launched a new children’s football attraction in Orlando.
Sunny Soccer gives children the chance to take part in half-day football coaching camps while on their holiday in Florida.
Donnelly, who launched the revolutionary Holiday Hypermarket, Harvey World Travel, and headed up First Choice retail, has teamed up with Orlando City, the North American championship team, to develop the new attraction.
Fellow founding director, ex Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion footballer James O’Connor, who now plays for Orlando City, will run the coaching programme.
Comedian and croadcaster Nick Hancock, famously a big fan of Stoke City FC, and Lord Peter Snape, chairman of his home town club Stockport County, have been appointed non-executive directors.
Sunny Soccer camps start in July and run through until the end of August and are open to children ages 5-13 years.
Each child will be given a free match ticket for an Orlando City SC home match at the Citrus Bowl, during their stay in Orlando, and a goodie bag.
The venue, Austin-Tindall fields, is 15 minutes from International Drive.
Packages will be sold through ticket provider Attraction World.
"We are filling the gap in the Attraction Capital of the World – Orlando and the Sunny Soccer programme will add that extra piece of excitement for children whilst on holiday," said Donnelly.
Donnelly, who also has a Florida-based property business Floridian Rentals, was himself once on the professional books at Aston Villa FC before joining the travel industry.
He is also a non executive sirector of Affordable car hire, chairman of Aston Villa Former Players Association and Chasetown FC and a patron of Promise Dreams, the Wolverhampton-based children’s charity.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent