Florida just put up bombshell tourism numbers that left Democrats fuming

The radical Left has been predicting Florida’s demise for years.

But the Sunshine State just delivered news that proves them wrong yet again.

And Florida just put up bombshell tourism numbers that left Democrats fuming.

Florida tourism hits record-breaking levels despite Democrat doom and gloom

Democrats and their media allies have been pushing a narrative for years that Florida is a mess and people would rather be anywhere else.

The numbers tell a completely different story.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the state set an all-time tourism record in 2024 with a staggering 143 million visitors flooding into the Sunshine State.

That’s a 1.7% increase over the previous record set in 2023.

The breakdown includes 130.65 million domestic travelers, 8.94 million overseas visitors, and 3.41 million Canadian tourists.

“Florida’s tourism industry leads the nation,” DeSantis said. “These results are proof that our freedom-first policies work—and that Florida remains the best place to visit, work, and raise a family.”

First quarter of 2025 shows no signs of slowing down

The Governor also revealed that Florida welcomed 41.2 million visitors in the first quarter of 2025 alone, reinforcing the Free State of Florida’s position as the nation’s top travel destination.

Among these Q1 visitors, 91.9% were domestic travelers (37.9 million), which represents a 0.2% increase from the same period last year.

International tourism is also bouncing back strongly, with 2.1 million overseas visitors and 1.2 million Canadian visitors making the trip to Florida.

Hotel performance metrics show a 2.4% increase in rooms sold, with the Average Daily Rate rising to $227.22 (up 2.2%), and occupancy reaching 75.7% (up 1.6%).

These aren’t just impressive numbers—they’re a direct repudiation of the doom and gloom predictions that the Left has been making about Florida since DeSantis took office.

Blue state exodus continues as people vote with their feet

Florida’s booming tourism comes at the same time Americans are fleeing Democrat-run states in record numbers.

California, New York, and Illinois continue to hemorrhage residents who are tired of high taxes, rampant crime, and government overreach—while Florida’s population grows by roughly 1,000 people every day.

The tourism boom isn’t just about vacations—it’s about people checking out Florida before making the decision to move there permanently.

And the numbers don’t lie: they like what they see.

Florida’s airports are seeing massive growth, particularly in smaller markets. 

Punta Gorda Airport traffic increased by a whopping 23.6%, St. Petersburg-Clearwater grew by 7.7%, and Daytona Beach rose by 7.4%.

These aren’t just statistics—they represent real Americans voting with their feet and their wallets.

DeSantis’ freedom-first policies paying massive dividends

While blue states were busy locking down businesses and schools, Florida took a different approach.

DeSantis reopened the state early during the pandemic, banned vaccine mandates, and focused on protecting the elderly while allowing businesses to operate.

The result? 

Florida’s economy is booming while Democrat-run states are still struggling to recover.

The tourism numbers also translate directly into billions in sales tax revenue—money that helps Florida maintain its status as a zero-income tax state.

This means more money in Floridians’ pockets and more jobs in the tourism industry.

“These results are proof that our freedom-first policies work,” DeSantis stated.

While Democrats predicted disaster for Florida after DeSantis’ policies, reality is telling a different story. 

The freedom that Florida offers—from low taxes to school choice to protection from woke ideology—is creating a magnet effect that shows no signs of slowing down.

The Left can continue to hope for Florida’s failure, but the numbers don’t lie: freedom works, and Americans know it.