Florida Tourism Is THRIVING, Numbers Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels

in Travel, Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom crowds in front of Cinderella Castle on Happily Ever After finale night

Credit: Inside the Magic

As the world continues to fight the ongoing pandemic, more and more families and eager to travel. In fact, Florida’s tourism numbers are in and they have exceeded pre-pandemic levels!

disney springs crowds
Credit: ITM

Florida is home to many travel destinations including theme parks such as Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, and Busch Gardens Tampa, as well as beaches such as Miami Beach, Cocoa Beach, and Delray Beach.

When the pandemic first began in 2020, several theme parks and beaches shut down to ensure the safety of individuals and families. Florida got hit hard as we reported the state suffered an over 60% drop in tourism in Quarter 2 of 2020.

But as we continue to move forward amidst the ongoing pandemic, and as more people become vaccinated, the spread of COVID-19 is slowing and more families are traveling. In fact, Florida’s tourism numbers have bounced back and are even exceeding pre-pandemic levels!

disney crowds
Credit: Inside the Magic

Related: Omicron Variant to Have Major Impact on Florida Travel Next Year

In a press conference earlier this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said recent data released shows 30.9 million visitors coming to the state from October to December of 2021, which is up nearly 60% from the same period in 2020. This means that the recent numbers are surpassing pre-pandemic levels from the same quarter pre-pandemic.

“This is the second consecutive quarter that we had more visitors in Florida than the same time period in 2019, pre-COVID,” DeSantis said at the briefing in Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park.

disney after hours crowds
Credit: Inside the Magic

Related: Omicron Now Most Predominant Strain in Walt Disney World’s County

The data showed that Florida’s current visitors aren’t just domestic travelers, but also international travelers. DeSantis stated that three times as many Canadians came to Florida compared to the fourth quarter of 2020.

“The demand for vacation rentals, which many people in Northwest Florida understand, is at an all-time high,” DeSantis said. “And vacation rental occupancy, compared to 2019 pre-COVID, is up almost 30% in 2021. And I’ll tell you this part of the state (Northwest Florida) is driving that.”

You can watch the full press conference below.

Have you visited Florida recently? Or do you have plans to in the near future? Let us know in the comments below.

in Travel, Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World

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