While Orlando and the Space Coast have always been good neighbors, Brevard County tourism officials would like to take that relationship to a whole different level.

For more than a year now, Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism has been sharpening its focus on the Orlando market, including its most recent initiative of providing concierge service to International Drive destinations and hotels, says Bonnie King, spokesperson for the tourism office.

Now, the Space Coast agency is planning additional marketing efforts, including working with Cocoa Beach and Melbourne area beachfront hoteliers on collaborative print and billboard advertising in the Orlando area.

"We have always been interested in Orlando, but have taken a more active stance of late. It's just part of the natural progression of our outreach," King says.

Danielle Courtenay, spokeswoman for the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, says it makes sense to cross-promote Orlando and Space Coast destinations because both make the area desirable in general for visitors.

For instance, while Orlando has given rise to just about every type of theme park, dinner theater, museum and convention facility imaginable, the Space Coast has its own unique draws. Brevard offers 72 miles of beaches, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Indian River Lagoon and Port Canaveral with its Cove entertainment district and cruise ships.

By marketing to both, Courtenay says, "the more we have to offer visitors, the longer they will want to stay in our area."

King says this year Sunward Tours also will provide a scheduled-stop bus shuttle service between Brevard and Orlando destinations.

And Brevard attractions such as the Indian River Queen river boat, Sterling Casino Lines and Ron Jon have joined the Orlando-area CVB to help get the word out to the Central Florida market.

Taking advantage of a neighboring large market for potential visitors is also why the Pirate's Dinner Adventure went so far as to join the Cocoa Beach Area Chamber of Commerce to help lure Brevard visitors and residents to its Orlando-area dinner theater shows.

After all, notes Sales Manager Keith Charlton, "Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island are basically in our backyard, so it only makes sense to build on that relationship."