Florida sees record tourism in Q1 of 2023, maintains 2.6% unemployment
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office celebrated that Florida witnessed a record 37.9 million visitors in the first quarter of 2023, the highest ever recorded in a quarter.
That tally includes 34.6 million domestic visitors and 1.8 million international.
According to the governor’s office, overseas travel is perilously close to a “full recovery” since the coronavirus pandemic, and the figures for Q1 2023 are up 36% from the same time in 2022.
Florida’s unemployment rate also held at a low 2.6% for April, which the governor’s office bragged is the lowest “among the top 10 largest states.”
The Sunshine State’s 2.6% is 0.8% lower than the national rate of 3.4%.
“Through strong economic policy and strategic investments, Florida is outperforming the nation and providing more opportunity for its citizens, resulting in more than 200,000 new business formations this year alone and an unemployment rate near an all-time low,” DeSantis said.
“In Florida, we are combatting negative national economic headwinds by promoting policies that support Florida businesses and families and attract record numbers of tourists every day,” he said.
Florida’s labor force was at 10.96 million and private sector job growth was 336,200, or 4.1%, over the year.
October 2022, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, marked the only month since May 2020 that Florida employers did not add jobs.
Over the year, Florida’s labor force grew 2.3% in comparison to the country’s growth rate of 1.7%.
It grew 0.3% over the month in comparison to the U.S. rate of 0.1%.
Full April 2023 employment data can be viewed here.
“Florida’s low unemployment rate of 2.6 percent – the lowest among the top 10 largest states in the nation – is a testament to Governor DeSantis’ bold leadership,” Acting Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Meredith Ivey said.
“Governor DeSantis’ Freedom First policies are helping Florida businesses continue to create jobs and Floridians feel confident in the meaningful job opportunities available to them, ensuring the economic prosperity of the great state of Florida and its residents,” she said.
