The figures for January 2026 are positive: hotel occupancy rates and revenues have seen double-digit growth at the start of the year. The average price is $288 in Miami-Dade, $223 in Broward, and $341 in Palm Beach County. According to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, more than eight out of ten rooms were occupied in Miami-Dade, the highest occupancy rate among the 25 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Orlando and Tampa were also in the top 10.
Tourism generates nearly 350,000 jobs in Southeast Florida, a figure that was down slightly in December 2025. Traveler arrivals at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport were down 8%, down 1% at Miami International Airport, and up 3% at Palm Beach International.
The January figures are therefore good news for the sector, which is counting on a strong Spring Break and the 2026 FIFA World Cup to boost its economy. The particularly cold weather in North America this year could contribute to this.
Miami continues to strengthen security and curfews during school breaks to make itself more family-friendly. This seems to be working, as according to local authorities, hotel reservations in Miami Beach are up 38% between mid-February and mid-April, which is also due to the Easter holidays being earlier than in 2025.
As for the World Cup, hotel reservations are already twice as high as last year for the Colombia-Portugal and Scotland-Brazil matches. Listed prices on Airbnb and VRBO have increased fivefold, and Airbnb has announced a $750 bonus for condo or home owners who agree to rent during the period.
Tourist numbers in 2025
It should be noted that the number of tourists in Florida in 2025 was not declining. With 143.3 million visitors, an increase of 0.2%, the Sunshine State continues to attract more domestic tourists from other US states, who account for 91.5% of visitors. They mainly arrive by road or train (64.2%, compared to 35.8% by plane). In a press release, the governor stated: “Florida continues to set the standard as the nation’s top tourist destination, welcoming millions of visitors while bringing real economic benefits to our residents.”
The last quarter of 2025 was particularly good, with a record 33.5 million tourists, up 0.6%.
In 2025, Canadians still lead the way among foreign tourists, accounting for 23.8% of international tourism. They represent 2% of visitors, with 2.9 million tourists in 2025 compared to 3.4 million in 2024 (2.38% of visitors), a decrease of 14.7%.
International visitors outside Canada represent 6.5% of tourists with 9.3 million, up 4%.
Brazilians, the second largest group of foreign visitors to Florida with 1.3 million travelers, are growing rapidly (10.4%).
The United Kingdom remains in third place behind Canada and Brazil, with 6% growth to 1.2 million tourists, followed far behind by Colombia (6%).
Argentinians (+17.8%) and Spaniards (+10.4%), who have entered the top 10 foreign tourists, are increasingly numerous in the Sunshine State.
