Miami -During the first half of 2025, the state of Florida presented a marked contradiction in its tourism figures, since the office of Governor Ron Desantis celebrated a historical record of visitors, while the international airports of Miami (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (Fll) reported a fall in their passenger traffic.
Governor Desantis announced that the State received 34.4 million visitors during the second quarter of 2025, a historical record. This figure represents a slight increase compared to 34.2 million of the same period in 2024.
The head of Tallahassee attributed this success to state policies that prioritize “security and freedom.” This quarterly milestone joined the success of 2024, the year in which Florida received a total of 143 million tourists.
Data analysis reveals that domestic tourism promotes the industry, with 91.5% of travelers who came from other nation states.
Air terminals
In direct contrast with state figures, MIA reported a 1.38% decrease in passenger traffic during the first semester of 2025, which represents a fall of 400,000 travelers.
The situation was even more pronounced in FLL, which suffered a drastic reduction of 11.1% in its passenger traffic.
The decline in Miami affected both international travelers, with a drop of 1.17%, and domestic, which fell 1.56%.
This trend interrupts years of record growth in both airports, excluding the period of pandemic.
Causes of the decline
Experts attribute the fall in airports to multiple factors. Political tensions with Canada and Latin American countries impacted international tourism, with a remarkable fall in Canadian tourism of approximately 20% during winter.
To this are added a global economic slowdown, unfavorable exchange conditions and an increase in the price of air tickets.
Although the director of the Aviation Department of Miami-Dade, Ralph Cutié, maintains the optimism about recovery by the end of the year, the figures of the first semester raise serious doubts about the growth objectives in the main entrance doors to the south of Florida.
Economic impact and projection
The flow of visitors translates into a significant economic benefit for Florida. In 2023, the tourist activity generated 131 billion dollars for the state economy, and the figures of 2024 and the first semester of 2025 would point, according to Desantis, to which this contribution will continue to increase.
The sector not only promotes income, but it is also a pillar for the creation of millions of jobs that strengthen local communities.
The combination of world class attractions, natural beauty and a commitment to the visitor’s experience allows Florida to establish new standards in the tourism industry and reaffirm its position as an apathy destination in the United States.
However, the fall in the number of passengers reported in the air terminals of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, two of the main cities in southern Florida, suggests that the growth objectives of visitors face a strong challenge.
