Florida tourism declines amid drop in Canadian visitors

Florida's tourism industry has experienced a second consecutive quarterly decline, with an estimated 34.01 million visitors arriving in the second quarter. This brings the total for the first half of the year to 73.5 million. The downturn is attributed to persistent inflation and a decrease in Canadian visitors, who declined by 4.2 percent in the second quarter and 13.9 percent for the first half of the year compared to 2025.

Despite the statewide slump, Escambia County reported growth. Visit Pensacola recorded 823,500 visitors in the second quarter, a 7.7 percent increase. Tourist Development Taxes in the county rose 4.8 percent to $13.65 million, driven by strong showings in Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key.

However, Visit Pensacola is facing a cash flow squeeze due to reimbursement delays from the Escambia County Clerk’s office. The agency currently has approximately $600,000 in cash reserves, while $1.3 million in expenditures remains unreimbursed and an additional $1.7 million in future obligations to its marketing contractor is pending.