Collier County tourism revenue ticked up slightly in March following a February dip — the season’s first year-over-year decline — but concerns linger about a softening market amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
March tourist development tax revenue, the latest data available, totaled $7,042,651, resulting in more than $23.7 million year to date. Occupied room nights increased 0.8% to 74.2%, while the average daily rate declined 13.5% to $456.06. It contributed to a 12.8% decrease in revenue per available room, falling to $338.40.
The County saw a 3.6% drop in visitors, falling from 266,200 in March 2024 to 256,500. Direct visitor spending declined by 2.4%, while the total economic impact of tourism slipped 2.7%. International visitation also decreased, down 3% year over year.
In February, Canadian visitors — usually a top market — declined by 23%, prompted by tariff, economic and border concerns.
“Canadian sentiment kind of remains consistent with what we’ve been hearing over the past couple of months,” Jay Tusa, director of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, told the Tourism Development Council on May 20. “I will say, though, that this is traditionally outside their [Canadian] peak travel season. So, we’ll kind of see where things go as the peak season comes back around with the Canadian market.”
Referring to the March numbers, Joseph St. Germain, president of tourism partner Downs & St. Germain Research, said that Easter being in April this year had an impact.
“This is a reminder that last year had Easter in March and this year doesn’t, so that has an impact on the numbers,” St. Germain said. “So, unless you can move Easter, that’s going to create some inconsistencies.”
As for the rest of 2025, Tusa said planner sentiment in the group meetings market sector remains generally optimistic, with most meeting professionals operating “business as usual and planning future events.”
“Some hesitancy persists among select clients who are holding off on commitments due to ongoing economic uncertainty,” Tusa said. “While we’re not seeing cancelations, there’s a broader sense of caution. Encouragingly, there is a noticeable uptick in short-term group leads for late 2025, which suggests resilience in this segment.”
Tusa pointed to research indicating strong momentum in the destination wedding sector.
“Global wedding trends show continued growth, with domestic destinations, particularly upscale beach and nature-focused locations remaining in high demand,” Tusa said. “Florida’s Paradise Coast is emerging as a sought-after destination driven by shifting presence for luxury experiences within the U.S. wedding market.”
Looking ahead to summer, Tusa said statistics from Southwest Florida International Airport show seat capacity is up 11% for June, 17% for July and 13% for August.
He noted that Porter Airlines will operate weekly flights from RSW to Toronto this summer, previously a seasonal service.
“So, that’s good news,” Tusa said. “You know, we hear about Canada, and I think luckily with our destination we’re a little bit outside that norm when you hear the national trends related to Canada.”
