Florida welcomes record number of visitors - again

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Florida welcomed a record-breaking 143.3 million visitors in 2025, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis' office. That's slightly above the previous record of 143 million visitors in 2024.

“Florida tourism continues to lead the nation,” said Bryan Griffin, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. “Florida’s tourism success is a result of the people and businesses in our state who offer the world’s greatest vacation experiences, attractions, lodging, and dining options."

The record-setting year was largely driven by domestic travelers, who accounted for 91.% of the state's visitors. 9.3 million people visited from overseas, including 2.9 million Canadians.

That's in line with historic trends, according to DeSantis' office. However, VISIT FLORIDA previously estimated a 13.1% drop in the number of Canadians who visited between October and December in 2025, compared to 2024.

The governor's office said Latin American and European visitors helped fuel international growth. Brazil is now the second-largest international source of visitors to the state.

Any increase in visitors is welcome news to Southwest Florida business owners like Travis Winesett, owner of Punta Gorda's Winesett House Restaurant.

"As far as downtown Punta Gorda goes, we are very seasonal," Winesett said. "When we first started here in the business, if you didn't make enough money, you know, [in] January, February, March, you'd be closed by September."

Tourism creates millions of dollars in local revenue, according to Florida Gulf Coast University's Regional Economic Indicators Dashboard. The dashboard shows tourist tax revenue generated $8.4 million for Southwest Florida's coastal counties in December 2025.

It also brings money further inland. DeSoto County Economic Development Director Sondra Guffey said the county's bed tax revenue is up 5% this fiscal year. However, most DeSoto County visitors already live in Florida, Guffey said.

"Our in-state visitors have been strong," Guffey said. "We're finding they're coming for events."

The county's single-largest day of visitors in 2025 was during a cheerleading competition at the Turner Center, Guffey said.

Out-of-state visitors told FOX 4 they traveled to Southwest Florida for the sunshine.

"We just wanted to escape the cold," said Sarah Morgensen of Omaha, Nebraska. "And this is the place to do it."