Last week in Orlando, Florida Gov. Rick Scott officially announced that the Sunshine State attracted a record number of tourists in 2015. Statistics compiled by Visit Florida, the organization that handles tourism marketing for the state, indicate that 105 million visitors were drawn to the state’s vast selection of beaches, cities and theme parks, setting a new record.
This represents the fifth year in a row that a record number of tourists came to Florida. The number beats the previous high of nearly 99 million visitors.
“Tourism plays an important role in supporting our economy, and we will continue to make strategic investments in the tourism industry to keep Florida on track to becoming first for jobs,” Scott said in a statement.
Ever optimistic, Scott hopes to see the number of tourists visiting the state rise to 115 million in 2016.
Florida Tourism
Visit Florida estimates that the vast majority of those visiting Florida, nearly 90 million tourists, reside in other parts of the United States. The organization reports that 11.2 million tourists arrived from overseas. Approximately 4 million came from Canada.
Visit Florida is quick to promote the fact that the family-friendly destination offers something for everyone. The thrilling theme parks in Orlando are legendary. For those who prefer peace and quiet, Sanibel and Captiva Islands offer refreshing retreats. Nature beckons beach-lovers with some of the most beautiful coastline in the country. Those who crave action will adore pulsating Miami, which boasts fabulous shopping and people-watching. Those interested in culture will find a vibrant melting pot of people from Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean Islands. For meeting planners, Florida offers top notch convention centers and a wide assortment of hotels in all price ranges.
With dozens of airports up and down the state, Florida is easy to get to from virtually anywhere. And with its near constant sunshine, it’s no surprise that Florida is attracting record numbers of tourists.
