A younger, wealthier and more diverse crowd is vacationing in the Florida Keys these days, and they’re spending a bit more this year to put their heads in hotel beds.
Millennials now make up 40 percent of Keys visitors, compared with 34 percent a year ago. The average visitor age is 42. The typical household income of Keys guests is $118,317, up by $9,000 since 2024.
Hotel occupancy in April was about 5% higher than April 2025, and hotel revenues that month were up about 10% over last year.
That’s the good news, said Kara Franker, the Keys’ top tourism official, while speaking to members of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys & Key West last week.
But it’s not the whole story. Other trends are troubling.
Visitors are spending less time here — and less money while they are here — trends that “if continued, without intervention, will erode economic performance in 2-3 years,” Franker said.
Per-person spending has dropped 33% in two years, falling from $1,667 in 2023 to $1,112 in 2025. Similarly, the average length of stay has dropped 30%, from six nights on average in 2023 to 4.2 nights in 2025.
Finally, “repeat visitors eroded from 95% in 2019 to 52% in 2025,” Franker said, adding that it takes more effort to persuade people to come for the first time than it does to convince people to come back.
“But early visibility into these trends means we can act now,” she said before outlining how Visit Florida Keys, known locally as the Tourist Development Council (TDC), is addressing those challenges.
Visit Florida Keys is advertising a Stay & Play summer savings campaign to help businesses during the slow season. The agency has allocated $500,000 to market the campaign as “One Road. Miles of Savings.” The initiative promotes increased value packages, bundled experiences, “stay three, get the fourth night free” offers, special events to draw visitors and flexibility to reassure travelers nervous about hurricane-season bookings.
Franker also unveiled an upcoming partnership with the legendary Yeti brand.
“Yeti doesn’t usually partner with destinations, but we’re doing a video project with them and Matador (travel guide producer and travel gear retailer),” she said. “It’s going to be an authentic editorial narrative showing each district of the Florida Keys. It’s not just an ad with Yeti cups and coolers in every shot. Not at all. We’re really excited about this partnership.”
The TDC is also promoting America 250 events taking place throughout Monroe County, targeting visitors from the domestic, drive-down markets.
“We’re also studying how we could increase sporting events to draw more people here,” Franker said. “And not in February.”
She emphasized baseball’s iconic status in Key West and said the TDC is seeking opportunities to host athletic events that draw people to the island chain.
“And of course, we’re working to bring commercial air service to Marathon airport,“ Franker said, before discussing Visit Florida Keys’ eight-month effort to design a Keyswide brand.
A task force was formed in October and included members from all five TDC districts. Their goal was to “define what is always true about the Keys brand.” The process hasn’t always been easy, Franker said, acknowledging the divisions among districts.
Turns out, those differences are what unifies the Florida Keys. Visitors can design their own vacation. Choose their own adventures. And pick their Keys location accordingly. March to their own beat. In other words, “Play in your own Key,” the tagline that will appear on all advertising and marketing efforts. Inherent in that line is the Florida Keys’ “promise” to visitors: “The Florida Keys & Key West promise a colorful rhythm, a carefree state of mind and an authentic invitation to come as you are. America’s only tropical island chain you can drive to, each island offers a unique experience that proves nowhere else comes close.”
The “Play in your own Key” branding campaign will be used in various ways, in print, digital and television ads.
