Sun Sentinel: Florida is the ideal lab for tourism trends
The United States has recently experienced both the extraordinary power of travel and some uncomfortable reminders of its vulnerabilities.
The lessons are acute in Florida.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought the world to North America. Miami hosted seven matches and generated a surge of visitors, spending and global attention.
Spirit Airlines, once a Florida-based symbol of affordable access to leisure destinations, quit flying because of financial struggles. Meanwhile, Canadians, among America’s most dependable international visitors, increasingly choose to vacation elsewhere, hitting Florida hard.
These may seem separate and unrelated. They’re not. They tell us something fundamental about the future of tourism: Destinations can no longer assume travelers will come simply because they always have.
Tourism is becoming a global competition for attention, affordability, accessibility and, increasingly, trust.
The World Cup demonstrated what happens when the U.S. gives the world a compelling reason to visit. U.S. travel spending rose 6.2% year over year in June to $122.1 billion, its strongest monthly performance in a year.
Millions watched American destinations around the world while international visitors experienced our hotels, restaurants, attractions and communities firsthand. They got to know us as people and realized the stereotypes were often wrong. They returned home with goodwill — and good stories.