Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that Florida had record visitation in 2022. VISIT FLORIDA estimates that Florida welcomed 137.6 million visitors in 2022, an increase of 5 percent over 2019 and 12.9 percent over 2021. Okaloosa County counts for more than 5 million visitors, with Destin counting for approximately 4.5 million of those annually, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Guidebook. In 2021, the number hit 7.5 million, according to Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism.
Florida welcomed 33.2 million travelers between October and December 2022, marking a 6 percent increase from Q4 2021, and the sixth consecutive quarter of overall visitation surpassing pre-pandemic levels. According to VISIT FLORIDA, 30.1 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in Q4 2022, representing 21 months of domestic visitation growth from 2019.
“People continue to make Florida their vacation destination, because they know that in the Free State of Florida, they can enjoy all that we have to offer without mandates or restrictions,” said DeSantis.
“We could not be more excited with the incredibly impressive record-breaking visitation seen in 2022,” said Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO. “Quarter after quarter, Florida continues to dominate the travel market and our competition, which could not be achieved without the hard work of our local tourism partners.”
Additional highlights from VISIT FLORIDA’s latest visitation estimates include:
• Florida welcomed 2 million overseas travelers in Q4 2022, an increase of 35.5 percent from Q4 2021.
• Canadian visitation during Q4 2022 accounted for 1 million visitors, an increase of 278 percent from Q4 2021.
• Air travelers accounted for 38 percent of visitors, compared to 41 percent in 2019.
• Hotel room nights sold at Florida hotels increased by nearly 13 percent in 2022 compared to 2021. Occupancy rose by 9.4 percent to 70.5 percent, as demand growth significantly exceeded the expansion of supply.
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