Business & Finance
Florida tourism dips as Canadian visitors drop 14 percent
A decline in Canadian travelers contributed to a slight drop in Florida's overall tourism during the first half of 2026.
The short version
- Florida welcomed approximately 1.68 million Canadian visitors in the first half of 2026, marking a 14 percent decrease of about 270,000 visitors compared to the same period in 2025.
- The decline in Canadian tourists contributed to a 1.4 percent drop in total overall visitors to Florida during the first six months of the year.
- The downturn coincides with heightened trade and political tensions between the U.S. and Canada, which have also seen Canadian travel drop in other major U.S. destinations.
Key facts
- According to estimates from Visit Florida, the state saw 1.68 million Canadian visitors in the first half of 2026, down 14 percent from the previous year.[The Hill]
- The dip in Canadian travel contributed to a 1.4 percent decline in total visitors to Florida during the first six months of 2026.[The Hill]
- Canada remains Florida's largest source of international tourists, making up 25 percent of the state's visitors from outside the U.S. over the past year.[The Hill]
- Statistics Canada reports that Canadians made approximately 25 percent fewer trips to the U.S. last year, spending about $2.3 billion less.[The Hill]
- Other major U.S. destinations also saw drops in Canadian visitors last year, including a 17 percent decline in Las Vegas and a 26 percent decline in New York state.[The Hill]
- President Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' after accusing Canada of taking advantage of the U.S. on trade and defense.[The Hill]
What remains uncertain
- Visit Florida did not provide an official explanation linking the tourism decline to the ongoing political and trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.[The Hill]