Melissa Donovan
Florida’s tourism industry saw a mixed start to 2025, with international visitation down compared to the same period in 2024, even as domestic travel remained strong, according to data released Tuesday by Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency.
Visit Florida reported a total of 41.193 million visitors from January through March of this year, a figure nearly identical to the first quarter of 2024. While overall numbers remained steady, international arrivals, particularly from Canada and other overseas markets, declined.
U.S. travelers made up approximately 92% of all visitors to Florida during the first quarter, continuing a trend of domestic tourism driving the state’s visitor totals in recent years.
Canadian Tourism Continues to Dip
Florida welcomed 1.227 million Canadian visitors in the first quarter of 2025, a 3.4% decrease from 1.269 million during the same period in 2024, according to Visit Florida. This decline aligns with broader data from Statistics Canada, which recently reported that Canadian return trips by car from the U.S. dropped 35.2% in April year-over-year. Air travel from the U.S. to Canada was also down 19.9% in the same month.
Statistics Canada attributed the decline to multiple factors, including shifting travel behaviors and potential diplomatic tensions. A May 12 report highlighted reductions in air service from Canadian cities to U.S. destinations like Miami, San Francisco, New York, and Washington, with some airline capacity being redirected to European routes.
Political Context and Tourism Policy
The tourism trends come amid heightened political dynamics. Former President Donald Trump’s trade policies—including tariffs and threats related to Canada—have stirred concerns about their impact on travel. Despite this, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has downplayed the potential fallout, dismissing suggestions that Canadian tourists are avoiding the state due to national-level tensions.
DeSantis has also advocated for restructuring the state’s tax policy to place more emphasis on tourism-generated revenue. His proposal includes shifting the tax burden away from Florida’s homesteaded property owners and increasing reliance on sales taxes paid by visitors, particularly from Canada and Brazil. The governor has voiced this stance in opposition to a House proposal seeking to lower Florida’s sales tax rate.
Overseas Travel Shows Modest Decline
In addition to the drop in Canadian visitors, overall overseas travel to Florida declined slightly. Visit Florida reported 2.114 million overseas visitors in the first quarter of 2025, down from 2.13 million during the same timeframe in 2024.
International tourism to Florida has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, Florida recorded 4.088 million Canadian visitors and 9.801 million overseas visitors, contributing to a total of 131.069 million tourists that year.
As the state continues to rely heavily on domestic travelers, questions remain about the future of international tourism to Florida. Industry analysts will closely watch travel patterns and policy developments in the coming months to gauge whether recent declines are temporary or part of a longer-term shift.
For now, domestic tourism remains the backbone of Florida’s visitor economy, even as global dynamics reshape the state’s international appeal.
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