Florida Sees Slight Increase in Tourism Amid Declining Canadian Visitors in Q3 2025
Florida Sees Modest Tourism Growth Amid Canadian Decline
TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida’s tourism sector experienced a slight uptick in the third quarter of 2025, welcoming approximately 34.339 million visitors, a modest increase from 34.239 million during the same period in 2024. This growth comes despite a notable decline in Canadian travelers, as tensions between the U.S. and Canada continue to impact cross-border tourism.
According to data released by Visit Florida, the state’s tourism-marketing agency, the third quarter of 2025 marked the highest visitor count for that period since 2022, a time when the agency was heavily focused on attracting tourists from other states due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“New data just released from @VisitFlorida shows tourism in Florida for Q3 2025 exceeded Q3 2024,” tweeted Visit Florida President and CEO Bryan Griffin. “2024 was a record-breaking year for Florida, and tourism saved each of Florida’s households an estimated $2,000 in taxes that year. We’re looking forward to a strong 2026. Happy New Year!”
Domestic Travel on the Rise
The majority of visitors, approximately 31.448 million, hailed from other states, up from 31.373 million in the same quarter last year. Popular destinations such as Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and the Florida Keys continue to draw travelers, thanks to their luxury offerings and family-friendly attractions.
In addition, overseas visitors to Florida increased to 2.343 million, up from 2.27 million in 2024, marking the best third quarter for international tourism since 2019. This resurgence highlights Florida’s ongoing appeal as a global travel destination.
Canadian Visitors Decline
However, the state faced challenges in attracting Canadian tourists, with only 507,000 making the trip in the third quarter, a significant drop from 597,000 in 2024. This figure represents the lowest number of Canadian visitors for any quarter since late 2021, when only 275,000 Canadians visited Florida.
The decline has been attributed to various factors, including political tensions and tariffs that have made U.S. vacations less appealing for Canadians. Prior to the pandemic, Florida welcomed as many as 703,000 Canadian visitors during the third quarter of 2019.
Looking Ahead
Despite the challenges, Florida’s overall tourism numbers for the first nine months of 2025 show a slight increase of 0.1% compared to the same period in 2024, with domestic travel remaining stable and overseas travel up 4.5%. However, Canadian travel has seen a sharp decline of 15.5%.
As the fourth quarter begins, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed maintaining funding for Visit Florida at $80 million for the upcoming fiscal year, a request that will be considered by lawmakers during the legislative session starting January 13.
With the tourism landscape continually evolving, Florida remains optimistic about its ability to attract visitors from across the globe, even as it navigates the complexities of international relations and changing travel trends.