THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER WEBSITE WINS WEBBY AWARDS FOR “BEST TOURISM WEBSITE”

Universal Orlando Resort Brings Home Two of the Internet’s Highest Honors

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 13, 2011) – Universal Orlando Resort’s website for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has received two of the highest honors for excellence on the Internet – The Webby Award and the People’s Voice Award for “Best Tourism Website.”

The website, found at www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter, has helped guests around the world learn more about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where the wonder, excitement and adventure of the Harry Potter books and films come to life. The site features ground-breaking interactive elements, including:

·         A photo-realistic, fly-through tour of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts castle

·         The Wizarding World News, where you can learn more about this spectacularly themed environment through news articles, video and other multimedia tools

·         A virtual Owl Post, where you can send e-cards to friends and family

·         An augmented reality map, which appeared online throughout 2010 and allowed guests to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in a unique way by blending real-life environments with computer animation

“From the very beginning, our Interactive and Creative teams strived to imagine beyond normal boundaries and assume anything was possible with this website,” said Al Callier, vice president of interactive development and web production. “These awards are an outstanding honor and a testament to the hard work of many extraordinary creative minds.”

This year marks the 15th Annual WEBBY Awards, and the leading international award association received more than 10,000 entries worldwide in more than 100 categories. Two awards are presented in each category – The Webby Award and the People’s Voice Award.

The Webby Award-winner is selected by members of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, which includes more than 750 of the world’s leading Web experts, business professionals and creative celebrities. The People’s Voice Award is determined by the online community, and the winners receive hundreds of thousands of votes.

To experience the award-winning website and learn more about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, visit www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.