UCF Grad Turns Love for Orlando Into Career

Highlights

• Home to UCF, Orlando welcomes more than 75 million visitors annually as one of the world's top tourist destinations.

• Advertising-Public relations grad Andrea (Rodrigues) Sage '12 fosters Orlando's hospitable reputation as part of the team at Visit Orlando, a not-for-profit trade association that brands, markets and sells the region globally.

• Sage points to the intangible skills she gained while at UCF - work ethic, goal-setting, communication, collaboration and time management all at an elevated standard of excellence - as formative to her life as a working parent today.

With its numerous industries to sustain a career and vibrant culture to build a life, Orlando isn't a hard sell. Still, when it comes to promoting all this city has to offer, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who loves it more than Andrea (Rodrigues) Sage '12.

The advertising-public relations grad spent the last decade in various sales-related positions with the Tampa Bay Rays, Orlando Magic and insulated beverageware company Corkcicle (headquartered in Orlando).

That experience along with the leadership and life skills she developed at UCF and her beloved hobby as the mastermind behind @cheatdayorlando - an immensely popular social media account that explores new activities, restaurants and happenings in Central Florida - gave her what she needed to land her dream gig as marketing manager for Visit Orlando.

"I get to marry my love for this community and something I'm passionate about doing - marketing this city. It's perfect for me," Sage says. "To find this opportunity with Visit Orlando, it truly has been a dream come true."

Universal Orlando Resort's Jurassic World VelociCoast (Photo courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences)

Tourism Shapes Orlando

Sage's mission in her role at Visit Orlando as a marketing manager, specializing in domestic tourism, is to bring visitation to the destination, period.

Orlando is the most visited destination in the U.S. bringing more than 75 million visitors. According to Visit Orlando, tourism supports 37% of all jobs in the region.

Central Florida's tourism industry generated an economic impact of $94.5 billion in 2024, a 2.2% increase over the previous year, according to a study by Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics and a leader in industry research.

As 2025 numbers work on being finalized, all signs point to the continued momentum of the region's tourism.

It's not hard to see why Orlando is in demand:

• Standard-setting theme parks
• Marquee sporting events - earning Orlando the No. 1 spot for Sports Event Cities in the U.S., according to Sport Business Journal
• Vibrant arts scene
• Top-of-the-line hotels and resorts
• 58 Michelin-recognized restaurants
• Proximity to beautiful beaches and Port Canaveral's cruise ships

Sage gives a glimpse into what goes into helping shape Orlando's reputation as one of the world's most desirable destinations.

Andrea Rodrigues Sage

Advertising All of Orlando

Sage's role with Visit Orlando oversees many facets. She might be placing a billboard in Baltimore, a well-timed ad on a streaming platform, or organize a tropical oasis in the middle of New York City on a 30-degree Fahrenheit day, enticing winter-weary New Yorkers to plan their next vacation.

She recently spent a week overseeing the production of an eco-tourism campaign video shoot at several locations to highlight the area's natural beauty, hiking and springs.

"Culinary, arts, theme parks, nature, cultural experiences, whatever your travel bug is, this destination brings it all." - Andrea (Rodrigues) Sage '12

"Adults with kids, adults without kids, this vacation has all your needs - culinary, arts, theme parks, nature, cultural experiences, whatever your travel bug is, this destination brings it all," Sage says.

Competing on the Global Stage

Orlando's prime competitors in the tourism market depends on who you're talking to.

It could be California (theme parks), Las Vegas (conferences), or Spain and Italy (international visitation). As cruise lines have come roaring back after the pandemic, the Caribbean is now in the mix, too. Orlando doesn't just compete with other cities for tourists, but entire states and countries.

"Our destination is amazing, but every Jan. 1 the visitor tally resets, and there is a lot of work happening behind the scenes to make sure we remain top of mind," Sage says.

Success Fueled by UCF

A St. Petersburg, Florida, native, Rodrigues was recruited to UCF to play for the women's soccer team. From 2008-12, she helped lead the Knights to five NCAA postseason appearances, including the 2011 Elite 8, three conference championships and one of the program's highest national rankings (No. 6) in school history.

During her collegiate career, she also joined the Portuguese National Team, which exposed her to places and cultures that would ultimately spark her interests in travel and exploration today.

As an elite scholar-athlete, she points to the intangible soft skills she gained - work ethic, goal-setting, communication, collaboration and time management all at an elevated standard of excellence - as formative to her life as a working parent.

"Being a UCF student-athlete has made who I am."

"Being a UCF student-athlete has made who I am," Sage says. "I take interviews today as a 36-year-old and still talk about how it has positively shaped me. I would go from a 6 a.m. strength training to study hall to three classes to practice to a night class, still have homework and study and then travel to a road game the next day.

"The controlled chaos I lived in then, it is innate in me and still my normal today. I have two little kids, I'm married, I have a full-time job, I work out every day, I have a hobby. It just feels right. It is a controlled chaotic environment that I love."

Andrea Rodrigues Sage makes a weekly appearance on 106.7 FM's morning show Johnny's House.

Living Where the World Vacations

Rodrigues says what she appreciates most about living in Orlando is getting to explore new places in her own backyard. She started @cheatdayorlando in 2021 after becoming a mother. Since then, she has grown the account to nearly 100,000 followers and landed a regular gig on the 106.7 FM morning show Johnny's House spreading the word about new experiences in the area.

"It doesn't feel like you're stagnant in Orlando - you can have a different experience just 10 minutes away," she says. "I love that there's something for everyone to feel like home because we have a melting pot of culture."

Spring Break Scene

Whether you're a local enjoying a staycation or coming to Orlando for your Spring Break, Rodrigues shares her pro tips on some new experiences worth checking out:

• ICON Park will soon feature Ripley's Crazy Golf, a glow-in-the-dark immersive indoor miniature golf course with many unconventional ways to putt.
• Harlow Grove Restaurant and Lounge, a new trendy restaurant in Winter Garden, opened this month and features a rooftop terrace and elevated menu.
• Maitland's Enzian Theater is a single-screen independent cinema cafe that offers cozy, vintage decor and seating, with a full kitchen menu. For the parents out there with little Spring Breakers, consider the theater's Peanut Butter Matinee Family Film Series, which offers free admission to kids 12 and under. Cars 2 will be featured at noon on March 22.

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