Last year’s visitors to Florida fell short of the record set in 2022, as a post-pandemic resurgence in overseas travelers couldn’t offset a noticeable drop-off in domestic tourism late in the year.
According to the Visit Florida tourism marketing agency, Florida will have an anticipated 135.02 million tourists in 2023, down from 137.4 million the previous year.
Visit Florida, on the other hand, cited growth from 2019, the year before the COVID-19 epidemic impacted worldwide travel, as evidence of improved international tourist numbers. In 2019, the state attracted over 131.1 million tourists.
“Even as we faced the challenges of rising travel costs and widespread inflation, Florida’s tourism industry not only survived but thrived (in 2023),” Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young said in a prepared statement. “From record air travel numbers to the significant return of international visitors, Florida continues to shine.”
According to the agency, 2.34 million overseas visitors arrived in the fourth quarter of 2023, up 15.9 percent over the same period in 2022. Also, 1.07 million Canadians in the fourth quarter of 2023 represented a 22% increase over the same period in 2022.
However, the overall fourth-quarter number of tourists in 2023 was 29.8 million, a decrease from 32.9 million in the same time in 2022. Traveler numbers in the United States fell by 12.1 percent.
Florida received 122.89 million US tourists in 2023, a decrease from nearly 127.8 million in 2022. Domestic tourists numbered approximately 117.2 million in 2019.
For much of the past year, industry executives have cited an increase in competitiveness from other states and nations that remained closed longer than Florida during the outbreak.
As pandemic limitations were relaxed, Visit Florida focused on wooing international visitors, who officials say stay longer and spend more money than domestic travelers.
Visit Florida recorded 8.31 million international visitors in 2023, an increase from 7 million in 2022. Canadians accounted for 3.822 million visits in 2023, up from approximately 2.63 million in 2022.
The agency stated that Florida has experienced a rise in travelers flying to the state, accounting for 37.3 percent of domestic visits, “the largest share of air visitors since 2016.”
As state lawmakers begin budget deliberations for the forthcoming fiscal year 2024-2025, the Senate has suggested $80 million for Visit Florida, the same amount as the current year. The House responded with a $30 million plan. Governor Ron DeSantis recommended $105 million.