The Sunshine State has remained a popular destination for tourists despite activist groups issuing travel warnings trying to dissuade people from heading to the state for vacation.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) touted the estimated 35.1 million visitors who traveled to Florida from July through September 2023, according to the state. DeSantis said the record numbers show the state is “a beacon of freedom for travelers.”
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From July to September, Florida had 35.1 million visitors, which is a record for the third quarter and puts our state on pace for another a record-setting year.
Thanks to our freedom first agenda, Florida’s tourism industry is thriving. pic.twitter.com/p1sBxe4bFK— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 16, 2023
“Florida continues to set records for visitation because of our commitment to allowing visitors to enjoy their travels without arbitrary government restrictions,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Florida will continue to be a beacon of freedom for travelers.”
Through the first nine months of 2023, the Sunshine State has seen 105.2 million visitors, including 96.4 million coming from the U.S. and 8.8 million international travelers. The state also said that tourism in the third quarter of 2023 was 1.6% higher than the same period in 2022 and 8% higher than the same period in 2019.
“VISIT FLORIDA’s efforts, in conjunction with local tourism partners, do more than spotlight the unparalleled beauty of the Sunshine State but have also fueled a growth in visitation from global travelers,” Dana Young, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, said in a statement. “Because of the visionary leadership of Governor DeSantis, whose Freedom First policies led our state to record numbers of visitors in the past, Florida has secured a new normal with an elevated market share of tourism, especially international tourism.”
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Florida is home to several famous beaches, cities like Miami and Tampa, along with theme park resorts, including Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. The state has also been hit with various travel advisories from the NAACP and the LGBT group, the Human Rights Campaign.
The two advisories, which were issued in May, claimed the state was hostile to black and LGBT people. Florida officials, including DeSantis, pushed back on the claims by the groups as a “joke.” The first full quarter since the travel advisories were issued shows tourists are still vacationing in the Sunshine State, and they are doing so in record numbers.
