Visitors from Canada, currently in a trade war (along with a war of words) with the Trump administration, helped fuel a record number of tourists to Palm Beach County in the first half of 2026, according to a recent report.
More than 6 million peoplevisited Palm Beach County in the first half of 2026, marking a record for the destination and a 6.4% increase over the same period last year, according to Discover The Palm Beaches, the county's marketing organization.
The surge in visitors bucked statewide trends, particularly from Canada, where tourism to The Palm Beaches rose 1.8% compared to a 13.9% decline across Florida. In the second quarter, Canadian visitation to Palm Beach County jumped 12.5%, while the rest of the state saw a 4.2% drop.
The survey, from January through June, doesn't take into account what happened in August, when the trade war between the U.S. and Canada intensified. Tensions escalated after trade talks collapsed, triggering tariffs on billions of dollars in goods flowing between the two countries.
In a social media post, Trump publicly blamed Canada for the breakdown and defended the new tariffs, writing: “Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!!.” He went on to complain that Canada had imposed “massive amounts of tariffs” on U.S. farmers for years, adding: “No more!!!”
The dispute raised concerns among Florida tourism officials and businesses because Canada is one of the state's largest sources of international visitors, and strained relations could discourage travel and spending by Canadian tourists.
Although Palm Beach County has diversified its economy in recent years, tourism remains one of its largest industries, generating an estimated $11.6 billion in annual economic impact and supporting nearly 95,000 local jobs, according to the announcement.
Still, the recent numbers was a positive sign for local tourism officials.
"Welcoming more than six million visitors in the first half of 2026 is a tremendous milestone and another testament to the enduring strength of The Palm Beaches as ‘Florida's Most Stylish Vacation Destination’," said Milton Segarra, president and CEO of Discover the Palm Beaches. "We are especially encouraged by the renewed strength of the Canadian market, and the continued growth in key markets like New York, Dallas and Houston, which speak to the destination’s enduring appeal."
Domestic and international travel on the rise
Domestic visitation increased 8.6% year-over-year during the first half of 2026, with New York remaining the largest source market, growing by 7.1%. Other markets showing significant gains include Washington (8.7%), Philadelphia (8.4%) and Atlanta (5.4%). Dallas and Houston were among the fastest-growing markets, with increases of 23.3% and 20.6%, respectively.
International visitation also contributed to the growth, rising 6% year-over-year. Colombia led the way with a 28.6% increase, followed by the United Kingdom (21.8%) and Brazil (11.8%).
Lodging performance reflects sustained demand
The increase in visitors translated to strong lodging performance. Room night revenue grew 11% to $918 million, and hotels achieved an average occupancy rate of 77%, outperforming many competing destinations.
Looking ahead, early third-quarter results show continued growth, with lodging demand increasing 3.6% in July and 2.5% in August. Room night revenue rose 14% and 7%, respectively. September lodging demand is forecast to increase 15%, supported in part by a boost in room nights sold from the Miss America competition hosted in West Palm Beach.
Tourism expected to continue growing
The positive trends underscore the continued appeal of The Palm Beaches and provide a strong foundation for sustained tourism growth through the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
For more information about The Palm Beaches, visit www.ThePalmBeaches.com.
This story was created by web producer Michele Kelley (mkelley@pbpost.com) with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Canadians return as Palm Beach County sets tourism record
