What we know now about Trump’s policies impacting tourism in US
How could the policies of the Trump administration hinder tourism to the United States? Here is what we know now.
- Bryan Griffin, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ former spokesperson, will lead Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency.
- Florida tourism is showing signs of cooling, potentially due to President Trump’s policies.
- Canadian tourism to Florida has decreased, likely impacted by Trump’s tariffs and rhetoric.
- Despite some declines, Florida tourism remains relatively steady compared to last year’s record numbers.
One of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ closest lieutenants will be taking over Florida’s tourist marketing arm as President Trump’s policies are causing many Canadian and other visitors to stay away, rattling the state’s economy.
Bryan Griffin, the Republican governor’s chief spokesman who played a similar role in DeSantis’ unsuccessful presidential campaign, is set to take over soon as president and CEO of Visit Florida. The move occurs amid signs that red-hot tourism numbers are cooling in Florida and many other U.S. destinations.
A leading cause: Trump’s rhetoric and tariffs aimed at neighboring Canada and scores of other nations.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, tourism works where there’s stability,” said Dr. Alan Fyall, an associate dean at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen School of Hospitality Management
“Things have got to be safe and stable and the challenge for the U.S. at the moment is, it’s not stable,” he added.
While showing a decline among Canadian visitors, Florida’s current tourism levels are mostly flat compared to last year’s record.
But even that hold-the-line level is attained now because people traveling, particularly internationally, booked as far back as last fall, Fyall said.
“We won’t know the full impact if tourists are staying away until six to eight months down the road,” he added.
A new role: From combative to courting
Griffin, long a combative defender of DeSantis’ policies, now must tack to becoming the public face of an organization dedicated to courting visitors.
But as Griffin told the Visit Florida board of directors during his July 25 confirmation hearing: he’s ready.
“So much of the Florida way of life – the benefits that Floridians enjoy and rely upon, such as our low tax burden, our nation-leading infrastructure and services, our strong state government, and even our prospect to further reduce taxes into the future – relies on a strong tourism industry,” Griffin said.
It’s unclear how many international visitors will go elsewhere this year, shunning not only Florida but possibly the U.S., altogether.
But tourism in Florida had been going gangbusters. A record 143 million visitors came to the state last year.
These tourists brought about $130 billion into the state’s economy. And tourists supply about 16% of Florida’s sales taxes, the main fuel of the state’s budget which funds education, health care, roads and other services.
Will 2025 tail off for tourism?
But there are early warning signs that 2025 may not be so hot.
Canadians comprise 28% of Florida’s international tourists. And Trump’s tariffs on the country’s exports to the U.S. and his taunting about making it the 51st state has offended many in Canada.
While domestic and overseas visitors to Florida changed little year-over-year in the first three months of 2025, Canadians were down 3.4%, or a drop of 42,000 visitors.
Second quarter statewide figures should be available soon. But many local officials have already complained about a lag.
“We have to be mindful that these actions that are occurring do have a direct impact on what happens here in Central Florida, and I think we’re seeing them play out in these international visitation numbers,” said Rep. Leonard Spencer, D-Gotha.
Visit Lauderdale president and CEO Stacy Ritter, whose organization markets greater Fort Lauderdale, said Canadian tourism has been down about 20%.
“It’s been concerning,” Ritter said.
In Southwest Florida, Lee and Collier counties also reported that tourism was down about 5% during the first quarter, mostly attributed to a lack of Canadian visitors.
Jay Tusa, Collier County’s tourism director, explained the shift in April at a county Tourist Development Council meeting, the Naples Daily News has reported.
“Internationally, there has been a noticeable shift in sentiment, particularly among Canadian travelers. Uncertainty around tariffs, increased border scrutiny, economic concerns, including a weak Canadian dollar, have contributed to a decline in Canadian visitation,” he said.
Scott joins with Democrats on ‘Snowbirds Act’
Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott recently joined with two Arizona Democratic senators in proposing the “Canadian Snowbirds Act,” which would allow retired Canadians to legally stay an extra two months in the U.S.
Sponsored with two Arizona Democrats, the immigration measure would allow those eligible to stay 240 days annually, up from from the current 182 days.
The rollercoasting economy and harsh immigration policies enacted at both the federal and state level in Florida are discouraging visitors, experts said.
Many homebuyers from Latin America, once a key part of the housing market in the Miami area, are steering clear. Home sales have been down sharply from a year earlier in Miami, according to data from Redfin Corp.
DeSantis and Trump’s promotion of what the governor calls Alligator Alcatraz, the migrant detention center west of Miami, isn’t helping to attract international visitors.
“Where you’ve got a problem is that immigration facility down in Miami, which is getting a lot of global coverage,” Fyall said. “From a tourism perspective, that doesn’t really look great.”
Still, in Trump’s adopted home of Palm Beach County, tourist officials say they’re holding their own. Any loss in Canadian visitors could be offset by expected increases in tourists from Brazil, the United Kingdom and Germany, said Milton Segarra, president and CEO of Discover The Palm Beaches, the county’s tourism marketing organization.
“It’s not going to be major growth, but we should be the same or better as this current year, which has been phenomenal, by the way,” Segarra said. “We did some surveys on political affiliation, and both Democrats and Republicans say their intent to travel to the Palm Beaches is high … we’re thankful for them.”
John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at [email protected], or on X at @JKennedyReport.
