At the recent Florida Huddle in Orlando, the
state’s marquee travel trade event, officials said 2025 visitor numbers are
tracking near 2024’s record pace—while international demand continues to close
in on pre-pandemic levels.
As
travelers show increasing interest in exploring more of the Sunshine State’s
attractions, travel advisors can boost their bookings by crafting longer, more
varied itineraries.
Visitor Numbers for 2025 on Pace with 2024
The Sunshine State welcomed a record-breaking 143 million visitors in
2024. While 2025 numbers aren’t fully tallied yet, signs point to another
robust year, fueled by strong international visitation and travelers who are
discovering lesser-known parts of the state.
“We’re going to have a year that’s largely on parity with a
record-breaking year for Florida, and that’s what really matters to us—that we
keep that momentum up,” said Bryan Griffin, who became president and CEO of Visit Florida—the state’s tourism marketing arm—in
August 2025.
Through the third quarter of 2025, 109.8 million travelers visited
Florida. That’s up slightly from the same period in 2024.
Attendance at the 2026 Florida Huddle also increased. The trade show that
connects tour operators and wholesalers with tourism suppliers from throughout
the state drew 13 percent more attendees than in 2025. Next year’s Florida Huddle—which
is paired with Florida Encounter, one of the longest-running appointment trade
shows in the meetings industry—will take place Jan. 24-26, 2027, at the Gaylord
Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee.
Strong International Numbers, Especially from Latin America
At Florida Huddle, Visit Florida officials shared international arrival
numbers for the state. Total overseas visitation for 2025 was 9.3 million
(excluding Canada, for which numbers are not yet available). "That's a 4.0
percent increase from 2024 and down only 1.3 percent from 2019," said
Meagan Chiamardas, Visit Florida's senior director of brand and strategy.
"That's the closest that Florida has come to a full recovery since the
onset of the pandemic for our overseas travelers."
That
progress puts Florida well ahead of the national recovery curve. International
travel to the state has rebounded to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels,
compared with 85 percent nationwide. “Florida is outpacing the
U.S. for international travel recovery,” said Griffin. “We’re excited about the
trend we’re seeing, especially from Latin America, where we have enormous
growth.”
Florida’s top five international inbound markets for 2025 were Brazil
(1.3 million visitors), the U.K. (1.2 million), Colombia (655,000), Mexico
(613,000) and Argentina (557,000). Three countries posted double-digit
increases since 2024: Brazil (10 percent); Argentina (a whopping 18 percent);
and Spain (10 percent), which broke into Florida’s top 10 in 2025 by sending
233,000 visitors to the Sunshine State.
Visitation from Canada—traditionally Florida’s top international
market—decreased in 2025, following a nationwide downturn. However, Canadian
travel to Florida is higher than to the U.S. as a whole, according to Griffin,
who pointed to an encouraging trend: “In November and December [2025], travel
intentions among Canadians were the highest they’ve been since February.”
Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, a city that travelers often use as a base for exploring more of the state. (Photo Credit: Sara Perez Webber)
Orlando as the Hub—and the Gateway to
More
Orlando—Florida Huddle’s host city this year—remains the number-one-visited
destination in the U.S., noted Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. And the city continually debuts more
reasons to visit.
“This destination is ever-changing,” Matej said. “Just in 2026, we have
26 new attractions opening.”
Travelers are increasingly treating Orlando as a base for further
exploration rather than a single-stop destination, she noted: “There are a lot
of people that like to stay in Central Florida but take those day trips,
whether it’s to the Kennedy Space Center or, of course, some
of our beach communities.”
Brightline, Florida’s
high-speed rail service between Orlando and South Florida, makes it easier for
travelers to explore even more of the state, added Matej.
Seeking Out the “Real” Florida
Tourism officials from outside Orlando confirm the trend of travelers
seeking to explore beyond the major destinations. “We’ve seen exponential
growth in tourism since coming out of the pandemic,” said Dan Barto, travel industry sales–domestic markets for Visit Central Florida, which promotes
tourism in Polk County.
Noting that the destination’s tagline is “Real Florida Magic,” Barto says
travelers are drawn to attractions tied to the region’s history and traditions,
like the Saturday Night Rodeo at Westgate River Ranch
Resort;
Bok Tower Gardens, a 250-acre
National Historic Landmark; and such u-pick citrus farms as Golden Ridge Groves.
Travelers are often surprised by what they find when venturing off the
well-beaten path, according to Wilma Taruc, group sales manager at Westgate
River Ranch: “A lot of people just don’t expect that there is a live dude ranch
in the middle of Central Florida.”
Areas such as Ocala—less than 90 minutes north of both Tampa and
Orlando—are welcoming more nature-seeking tourists, who arrive after visiting
the theme parks and major cities. “We have springs right in the middle of the
state, which is really unique,” said Jessica Heller, marketing and
communications supervisor for the Ocala/Marion County
Visitors and Convention Bureau. “We love it when visitors want to
come up and enjoy nature away from the crowds.”
Visit Florida Encourages Travelers to Spread Out
For
advisors, those lesser-known destinations offer a way to extend itineraries,
encourage repeat visitation and turn familiar trips into fresh experiences.
“Part of our mission is to drive dispersion,” said Griffin. “We want to
get as many people to see as much of the state as possible.” The strategy is
working in towns like Apalachicola in North Florida’s
panhandle, he added: “There’s just been a resurgence there.”
Tying into America250, Florida is promoting its historic sites, such as the Governor’s House Museum in St. Augustine. (photo via America250FL)
Tying Florida Travel to Larger Events
Visit Florida is also working to attract visitors by
tying state travel to larger events. When soccer fans come to Miami this summer
for FIFA
World Cup games, Visit Florida is offering suggestions for
discovering much more of the state during their visit.
And as the U.S. looks ahead to its 250th
anniversary on July 4, 2026, Visit Florida is leaning into history as a powerful storytelling tool
to inspire travel across the Sunshine State. Griffin said the organization has
been mining its archives for vintage photos and videos to showcase how Florida
has evolved. A documentary series will soon air on YouTube and social media,
highlighting Florida's history and its contributions to the nation.
“When you go to St. Augustine, you can see the
history,” he said. “You can walk through it in Pensacola, Tallahassee and some
of the northern parts of the state. But then you can go [south] to Miami and
Tampa and see the history we have there, in places like the Freedom Tower and
Ybor City. We’re going to highlight all of that.”
Advice to Travel Advisors
More U.S. travelers visit Florida than any other state, noted Griffin,
and travel advisors are central to
Visit Florida’s strategy to keep it that way.
“We’ve got the number-one domestic market share, and we’ve been
increasing the size of that gap,” he said.
Through events like Florida Huddle and Visit Florida’s trade missions to both
domestic and overseas markets, “we try to convene advisors, operators and
industry professionals with our local partners so that they can have the
opportunity to become Florida specialists.”
Florida is so diverse, added Griffin, that advisors can craft itineraries
that include whatever clients are looking for, from Michelin-recognized
restaurants to sporting and recreational events, to outdoor adventures, beaches
and theme parks.
“We’ve got it all,” stressed Griffin, a lifelong Floridian who considers
it a “dream come true” to promote tourism in his home state. “Encourage your
clients to put a few extra days on the end of their trip to go explore.”
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