Florida Tourism Surges to 143.3 Million Visitors in 2025

Florida welcomed a record-breaking 143.3 million visitors in 2025, marking a slight increase of 0.2% from the previous year. This surge in tourism has been primarily driven by domestic travelers, who made up 91.5% of the total visitors. According to data released by the office of Governor Ron DeSantis, the total number of domestic visitors reached 131 million, reflecting a modest rise of 0.3% from 2024.

International travel also showed positive growth, with overseas visitors increasing by 4% to nearly 9.3 million. However, the number of Canadian tourists dropped significantly, with 2.9 million visitors recorded for the year, a decline of 14.7% compared to 2024. This decrease has prompted Florida tourism leaders to enhance their outreach efforts to Canadian travelers, who have faced challenges due to sentiments surrounding U.S. political rhetoric.

Domestic Tourism Fuels Growth

The preliminary findings indicate that domestic tourism remains a vital component of Florida’s tourism landscape. The January 26 executive committee meeting led by Bryan Griffin, President and CEO of Visit Florida, highlighted the organization’s commitment to maintaining strong visitation levels from both domestic and international markets. Griffin emphasized, “We’re doing what we can, just as we are with any country outside the United States, to make sure that visitation remains strong.”

The release from DeSantis’ office noted that Canadian visitation is consistent with historical trends, where travelers from Canada typically account for about 2% of total tourism figures. In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians represented 3.11% of visitors, totaling approximately 4.1 million out of 131.07 million overall tourists.

Fourth Quarter Highlights and Future Projections

The fourth quarter of 2025 also set records, with 33.5 million travelers visiting Florida. Among these, 30.31 million were domestic, 2.55 million were international, and 642,000 were Canadian. This quarter’s figures showed an increase of 0.6% from the same period in 2024, with domestic visitors rising by 0.8% and international arrivals increasing by 2.7%. Conversely, Canadian visits fell by 13.1%.

Griffin expressed optimism about the future, noting that key international markets are showing promising growth. Visits from Brazil have increased by 10.4%, while the United Kingdom and Colombia reported increases of 6%. As winter approaches, South Florida hotels and businesses are hopeful that Canadian tourists will return, bolstering the state’s tourism industry.

The ongoing efforts to adapt to changing travel dynamics underscore Florida’s resilience in the face of challenges. As the state continues to attract visitors from across the globe, the focus remains on enhancing the tourism experience and addressing the evolving needs of travelers.