Discovered in 1513 by Spanish Conquistador Juan Ponce de León, Florida has fast become the worlds favorite tourist destination pulling in about 60 million visitors to the state every year. Its warm climate, friendly locals and massive variety of activities all contribute to its number one vacation status.

Before Tourism

Before the tourists began flooding in Florida was moslty an agrcultural state and this continues to be its second largest industry today.

As well as a booming cattle farming industry Florida produces the majority of citris fruit in the US. Indeed, Florida is famous  not only for its theme parks but for its large quantity of oranges, orange juice being the states official beverage.
As well as citris fruit the state is also well known for producing sugar cane, today its third biggest industry.

These days it is suprising to most that, before the arrival of tourism, Florida consisted of mostly cattle fields and swamplands.

The Rise of Tourism

The warm climate, sandy beaches and various activities such as fishing and watersports began to bring in the visitors and lay the foundation for what was to become the states greatest industry and main economy source.

People came to soak in the sun and the laid back Florida attitude bringing about the growth of beach towns, however it was in 1963-64 when a certain man took a plane journey over the state that the rise of Florida tourism as we know it today really began.

The Birth of the Theme Parks 

In 1963 Walt Disney was looking for somewhere to build his dream, a bigger and better version of his Disneyland attraction in California. Disneyland didn't fulfill Walts dream the way he intended, only buying enough land to build the actual park it quickly became surrounded by urban life as Los Angeles grew around it, so this time he knew he needed land and lots of it. At the time central Florida had undeveloped swampland in abundance and when Mr. Disney took that plane flight overhead he knew that was the place.

Today Walt Disney World is still considered the greatest theme park on earth and its development was followed by a succession of more world class theme parks such as Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World and Busch Gardens.

Florida Tourism Today 

 It was the growth in these attractions that rocketed the once sleepy southern state of Florida into the position of the worlds number one tourist destination. But it doesn't stop there, Florida has so much more to offer its visitors than just theme parks. A vacation to the Sunshine State can be one of the most versatile vacations possible. It has just about everything from relaxing beach resorts to bustling cities all containing just about every activity you can imagine from fishing, golf, watersports, spaceshuttle launches, wildlife, world class beaches and the list goes on and on.