Florida tourism chief ‘bullish’ about 2025 UK performance

Florida tourism chiefs remain hopeful of posting a positive performance from the UK market in 2025 despite predictions of a nationwide downturn.

UK visitor numbers in 2024 were 1% down on the previous year at 1.137 million.

Numbers for the first quarter of 2025 were 7% down on the same period in 2024 at 217,000, but that deficit has largely been attributed to the timing of Easter, which fell in March last year.

A recent report from analyst Tourism Economics predicted an 8.7% decline in international arrivals to the US this year.

However, Visit Florida chief marketing officer Brett Laiken said he hoped an improvement in exchange rates and the opening of Universal’s Epic Universe park could both contribute to positive sales from the UK.

“We expected the numbers to be a bit down but we are pretty confident it’s going to be a good year,” he said. “The exchange rate is finally in your favour so I’m more bullish than I would have been a few months ago.”

Visit Florida is planning to host a UK version of its Florida Huddle trade show in London this autumn in place of attending World Travel Market, which Laiken said was a mark of its commitment.

“It is no reflection on WTM, but we felt that creating a Florida Huddle could allow partners who don’t usually participate to be included,” he added. “Those partners can bring partners of their own so it will be a real showcase of the diversity of product in the state.”

The event will take place on September 22-23, with 16 partners signed up and around 100 trade and media guests to be invited.

Visit Florida is also planning to unveil a brand refresh in September, with a new campaign designed to demonstrate the breadth of its tourism and culinary offering.

The marketing organisation also hopes to capitalise on next year’s football World Cup, with messaging about why the state offers a good “home base” from which to attend matches in other US destinations as well as in Canada and Mexico.

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