ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — If you love the Sunshine State, you're not alone!
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in a news release Wednesday that the state had a record high of visitation last year.
About 137.6 million people visited Florida, which is an increase of 5 percent over 2019 and almost a 13 percent increase over 2021, Visit Florida says.
“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,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Florida’s freedom first approach has created an environment that attracts new visitors, fosters new businesses and drives our economy forward.”
Between October and December 2022, Florida welcomed 33.2 million visitors, which Visit Florida says is the sixth consecutive quarter of overall travelers, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Also, 30.1 million people from Florida traveled to other cities across the state, which represent 21 months of domestic visitation increase from 2019.
“We could not be more excited with the incredibly impressive record-breaking visitation seen in 2022,” Dana Young, Visit Florida president and CEO, said in a statement. “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.
Florida is breaking records despite overseas visitation remaining 28 percent lower than in 2019. At Visit Florida, we are committed to building on this growth to ensure Florida continues to be the No. 1 vacation destination in the world.”
In total, Florida saw 7 million overseas travelers last year, a 73 percent increase over 2021 but still lower than tourist numbers in 2019.
Here are other visitation numbers recorded in 2022, Visit Florida says:
- Those traveling by plane accounted for 38 percent of the state's visitors.
- Hotel room nights sold in Florida increased by almost 13 percent last year compared to 2021.