Florida Tourism Declines for Second Consecutive Quarter

Florida tourism declined for the second consecutive quarter, with a 0.7% decrease in the second quarter of 2026 and a 1.4% decline during the first half of the year. Canadian visitation dropped nearly 14% in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Despite the decline, overall tourism remains above pre-pandemic levels, prompting state economists to monitor slowing growth. According to Visit Florida, the state welcomed approximately 34.01 million visitors from April to June, down from 34.23 million in the same quarter of 2025. For the first half of 2026, an estimated 73.5 million visitors came to Florida, compared to about 74.5 million during the first half of 2025. Domestic travelers accounted for the majority of visitors, with 31.08 million in the second quarter and 67.33 million in the first half of the year, both figures down from the previous year. Overseas visitors also declined, with about 2.21 million arriving in the second quarter, a 3.7% decrease from the previous year, although overseas travel for the first half of 2026 was 2.2% higher than in 2025. The most significant decline was in Canadian tourism, with approximately 721,000 Canadians visiting Florida in the second quarter, a 4.2% decrease, and about 1.68 million in the first half, down 13.9%. This decline is attributed to various factors, including economic pressures and changing travel patterns. A report from Statistics Canada indicated a broader shift in Canadian travel preferences away from the United States. The decline in Canadian visitors also comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada. Despite the recent declines, Florida's tourism remains above pre-pandemic levels, with a record 143.3 million visitors in 2025. Economists are observing signs of slowing growth, as inflation has outpaced wage growth and increased reliance on credit. Visit Florida is promoting the state's history and rural communities to attract visitors. The tourism industry in Florida had previously recovered rapidly after the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing pre-pandemic visitation records since 2022. Visit Florida President and CEO Bryan Griffin emphasized the economic impact of tourism on local communities. Statistics Canada noted that the decline in Canadian travel to the U.S. has been unusually prolonged, marking the deepest and most sustained decline on record for border crossings from the U.S. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized recent U.S. trade proposals amid renewed tensions between the two countries.