Florida has put a formidable price tag on sunshine, beaches and holiday dreams, with its tourism brand reaching a record US$162 billion in 2026.
The new independent valuation by Brand Finance, commissioned by VISIT FLORIDA, represents a 14 per cent rise from US$142 billion in 2024. It is an emphatic reminder that destinations, like airlines and hotel groups, depend upon reputation and Florida’s is proving particularly valuable.
Of the total, US$137.3 billion was attributed to the businesses, products, and services that make up Florida’s tourism industry. A further US$24.7 billion came from the state’s appeal as a destination, described as the “Place Brand Effect” managed by VISIT FLORIDA.
That distinction matters. Florida is not merely selling theme parks, beaches and reliably photogenic sunsets. It is selling confidence: the expectation that travellers will find plenty to see, somewhere comfortable to stay and, almost certainly, an alligator depicted on a souvenir tea towel.
“Florida has built the strongest tourism economy in the country, and this valuation demonstrates the world-wide appeal of the Florida vacation brand,” VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO Bryan Griffin said.
Griffin added that keeping the state prominent among domestic and international travellers strengthens a brand supporting businesses, employment and communities across Florida.
Brand strength climbs with value
Florida’s Brand Strength Index rose 1.3 points from its 2024 result to reach 81.2 in 2026. Brand Finance measures brand strength on a scale of 100, considering factors including marketing investment, stakeholder perceptions and business performance.
Its June 2026 valuation was prepared to assess the destination brand’s development and compare Florida with competing destinations. Brand valuation is not the same as annual visitor spending or direct economic output; it estimates the brand’s present economic benefit.
The result follows Florida welcoming an estimated record 143.3 million visitors in 2025, according to VISIT FLORIDA Research. The state also reports that tourism supported 1.8 million Florida jobs in 2024.
For tourism executives, the broader message is unmistakable. Infrastructure, service and air access may bring visitors through the door, but a trusted destination identity keeps them dreaming and returning. Florida’s latest valuation suggests the Sunshine State has turned that dream into one extremely substantial asset.
By: Jason Smith – © 2026.
Read Time: 2 minutes.
Author Bio:
Jason Smith didn’t learn travel from textbooks. He learned it in airports, taxis and hotel lobbies, watching the business unfold long before he played his own part. Half American, half Asian, he grew up around the quiet workings of tourism, where people come and go, and stories rarely stand still.
Bangkok came first, then formal study, then a career that carried him through Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. Each place left something behind. In the end, Thailand felt like home, along with a senior role in hotel sales.
Then everything stopped. Borders shut, planes grounded, and Jason found himself back in America with time to reflect.
Now at Global Travel Media, he writes travel as it really is, not polished, not perfect, but human, and all the better for it.
