occupancy rate and rooms sold, both indicators of visitation numbers, outpaced the entire United States. Florida’s rooms sold are up 3.3 percent over last year, far outpacing the national average of 1.2 percent. Florida’s occupancy rate for July was up 1.2 percent, while the U.S. average declined by .5 percent.
As I travel the state, it’s clear that we are having great success marketing and showcasing Florida as the number one destination in the world. Our numbers continue to indicate positive growth and visitation trends, which is great news. As we reach new heights in tourism for Florida, we look forward to continuing our great work with our 43 destination marketing organization partners and over 12,000 industry businesses across the state to reach our goal of a record 120 million visitors this year.