Florida made history in 2022, and if its trajectory continues, 2023 could yield another milestone. In 2022, Florida broke the record for highest visitation in the state's history.
VISIT FLORIDA estimated that the state hosted 137.6 million travelers last year, which is an increase of 5% over 2019 and 12.9% over 2021. The state hosted 33.2 million travelers between October and December 2022, indicating a 6% increase from 2021's 4th quarter. In addition, it is the sixth consecutive quarter of overall visitation surpassing pre-pandemic levels. VISIT FLORIDA also counted 30.1 million domestic visitors that traveled to the state in 2022's 4th quarter.
In a statement, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) expressed that "people continue to make Florida their vacation destination because they know that in the Free State of Florida, they can enjoy all that we have to offer without mandates of restrictions." Moreover, DeSantis commented that "despite the federal government's attempts to keep our economy stagnant, Florida's freedom first approach has created an environment that attracts new visitors, fosters new businesses and drives our economy forward."
Dana Young, the President and CEO of VISIT Florida, championed the numbers, saying that "quarter after quarter, Florida continues to dominate the travel market and our competition, which could not be achieved without the hard work of our local tourism partners." Young added that the state "is breaking records despite overseas visitation remaining 28 percent lower than 2019 due to heinous visa wait times and irrational mandates imposed by the federal government."
VISIT FLORIDA provided further estimates, which include the following:
- Florida welcomed 2.0 million overseas travelers in Q4 2022, an increase of 35.5 percent from Q4 2021.
- Canadian visitation to Florida during Q4 2022 accounted for 1 million visitors, an increase of 278 percent from Q4 2021.
- Air travelers accounted for 38 percent of Florida visitors, compared to 41 percent in 2019.
- Hotel room nights sold at Florida hotels increased by nearly 13 percent in 2022 compared to 2021. Occupancy rose by 9.4 percent to 70.5 percent, as demand growth significantly exceeded the expansion of supply.
