Florida Tourism Hits Record; Strains Environment, Transparency | The Locally Times
Florida reports a record 143.3 million visitors in 2025, while state records show new environmental closures and eight months of inaccessible city commission records in St. Marks.
The preliminary estimates, provided by VISIT FLORIDA, mark the highest tourism numbers ever recorded for the state. The fourth quarter of 2025 contributed an estimated 33.5 million visitors, the highest fourth-quarter visitation on record. A breakdown of the yearly total shows that domestic travelers from within the United States accounted for 131.1 million people, or 91.5% of all visitors. The state also drew 9.3 million overseas visitors and 2.9 million from Canada. The announcement identifies Brazil as the second-largest international source of visitors to Florida. The Governor’s Office attributed the growth to state investments in infrastructure, public safety, and environmental stewardship. ## State Closes Wildlife Area, Adds Regulations As visitor numbers increase, state agencies are managing environmental pressures on sensitive areas. An August 31, 2026, notice from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced the closure of the Channel Key portion of the Florida Keys Wildlife & Environmental Area. The FWC document states the closure is necessary to protect nesting activity for species listed by the state or federal government, and that the public must avoid the marked area. State-level legislative action is also addressing the visitor economy’s impacts. A document from the Florida Senate indicates the passage of a water safety bill, identified as SB 658 and 608. The legislation establishes new water safety requirements for residential and vacation rental properties. The provided record does not contain specific details about the new requirements or their implementation. ## Coastal Community's Public Records Inaccessible for Months While the state celebrates economic performance, public access to information about how local governments are managing this growth is not uniform. The City of Tallahassee’s FY26 Approved Budget message from the City Manager notes recognition for the second consecutive year by Area Development magazine as the #4 overall metro location for economic performance. The budget document outlines priorities including public safety, infrastructure, and economic development. In contrast, public access to government records in the coastal City of St. Marks has been blocked for a majority of 2026. A review of the city’s official website reveals that online “Meeting Record” entries for eight regular commission meetings are inaccessible. For meetings scheduled on May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, October 8, November 1, and December 10, the website displays only lines of technical code instead of agendas, minutes, or supporting documents. The technical failure blocks public oversight of the St. Marks City Commission’s activities. The available records do not specify what actions were taken or what funds were discussed during this period of record-breaking statewide tourism, leaving residents without documented information on how their local government is managing its infrastructure, safety, and environmental resources.