Visit Florida CEO "very optimistic" as Sunshine State sees Canada share rise, air lift expand

"We met with a number of airlines during this trip – WestJet, Porter and Air Canada – and their outlook is very optimistic,” said Bryan Griffin, CEO of Visit Florida.

That optimism is shaping how Visit Florida is approaching the Canadian market right now, even as overall outbound travel to the United States softens due to strained relations, trade disputes, and consumer sentiment following U.S. tariff policies and political rhetoric.

Speaking to PAX during meetings with industry partners in Toronto on Wednesday (Apr. 22), Griffin pointed to a mix of expanded airlift, steady engagement and shifting traveller behaviour as reasons the destination expects to hold — and grow — its share of Canadian business.

Airlift expands as market share grows

Griffin noted that Air Canada is increasing seat capacity to Florida by nearly 50,000 this year. Meanwhile, Porter is adding two seasonal direct Hamilton routes to Florida: Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

Those additions come alongside continued service from WestJet, reinforcing what Griffin described as strong confidence from airline partners.

The overall numbers are more mixed. 

READ MORE: StatCan: Canada–U.S. travel drops 4.5% by road, 13.8% by air

Florida welcomed 2.93 million Canadian visitors last year as part of a record 143.3 million total visitors. But Canadian travel to the state declined by roughly 500,000 year over year.

At the same time, Griffin noted that Florida’s share of Canadian travel to the U.S. is growing.

“For 2025 versus 2024, Florida increased our market share from 16.8 per cent to 19.8 per cent,” he said. “That means that even though, year over year, travel from Canada was down in 2025, our share of trips to the U.S. grew. We expect that to continue.”

Fewer Canadians are travelling south overall, but a larger slice of them are choosing Florida.

Griffin credits consistency in-market for that performance. “We have not pulled out of the market. We have not stopped any of our efforts here in Canada,” he said. 

“We’ve maintained our relationships. We’ve had PR missions. We always do trainings and work with our partners to create new products, so that has been consistent.”

Value, variety drive repeat trips

Value, unsurprisingly, is front of mind for Canadians travelling to Florida, according to Griffin.

“I think value is very important to almost everybody nowadays and Florida is a destination where you can find value,” he said.

Griffin said travelling beyond major hubs can stretch budgets further and open up new selling angles. “If you get out of the big cities, and you move around into small town Florida, that’s a great way to save some money on your vacation," he said. "Things are less expensive outside of the big cities."

That ties directly into a broader behavioural shift Visit Florida is tracking among Canadians, who are taking shorter, more frequent trips.

“That also means that they want to find some new opportunities,” said Griffin. 

The destination’s “Live More Floridays” campaign leans into that mindset, encouraging repeat visitors to go beyond their usual beach or theme park itinerary.

Florida's range remains one of its biggest selling points. 

Griffin pointed to everything from theme parks and shopping in Miami to culinary tourism — with six cities now included in the Michelin Guide — alongside beaches, more than 175 state parks and roughly 15,000 miles of hiking trails.

“We want people to come to Florida, come to our gateways, but then get around the state and experience new things,” Griffin said, highlighting regions like the Florida Panhandle, where history, nature and lesser-known experiences can anchor itineraries.

New hotel openings will give travellers more lodging options. Griffin said there are 100 hotels under construction across the state.

On the attractions side, familiar brands continue to drive demand.

Universal’s Epic Universe, which opened last year, is pulling new visitation, while Legoland has added a new indoor roller coaster — part of a steady pipeline of attraction updates designed to keep visitors engaged.

For advisors, the opportunity lies in showing clients a different side of Florida.

“We’ve got trainings all the time,” Griffin said, noting that programs are available both digitally and through in-market missions. “Our goal is to help make Florida experts out of the industry.”

Despite economic pressures and declining outbound travel, Griffin’s overall tone remains steady.

“We’ve changed nothing about our desire to welcome Canadians,” he said. “We’re the same Florida that you know and love.”

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