Nestled between the bustling tourist hubs of Miami and Orlando, Florida’s Culture Capital offers a quieter side to the Sunshine State, where travellers can expect ‘diversity without density’ and experiences that leave an impression far beyond the journey home
Thus far this year, The Palm Beaches is seeing strong momentum from the UK market, with double-digit visitor growth compared to 2025. Erick Garnica, vice president of global leisure sales for Discover The Palm Beaches, stated that UK visitor numbers have increased by 12.4% during Q1 2026. The destination welcomed 14,500 UK visitors in the first quarter, cementing the UK as The Palm Beaches' third-largest international market.
“Historically, our numbers have always been strong [from the UK]. As we don’t have a direct flight into our destination, we rely heavily on Miami and Orlando lift because they’re so close to our destination [...] Typically, the pattern that we see of visitors is between three- to five-night stays.”
“I think a lot of factors have helped, like the World Cup, has generated a lot of intervest in the United States, and specifically because there’s games that are being held in Miami, especially as England will be playing in Miami, and with Miami being so close to our destination, we are leveraging that and taking advantage of that factor as well [...] hopefully we’re going to see more of that increase after all this is done.”
Beyond the beaches
While The Palm Beaches has long been associated with high-end luxury, perceptions may finally be changing.
“There was always this perception that Palm Beaches is not affordable. Well, if you’re looking for luxury, yes, there is a particular area, but there are also areas that are reasonably priced, especially in the summer months when our hotels offer a lot of value add-ons and promotions.”
“We are America’s first resort destination. Henry Flagler created the iconic Breakers Hotel in the late 1800s, and everything stems from there, so we are the original, the one, the only, in terms of hotels in North America. We have ‘diversity without the density’ as we are not overdeveloped; it has a lot to offer in terms of not just beaches, but culinary has grown quite a lot, with offers throughout the 39 cities. There is also the luxury experience, but then visitors can also go for a laid-back experience. We are also Florida’s culture capital and the sea turtle capital of Florida, and we have 160 golf courses, so we are very diverse in terms of what we can offer visitors.”
Investing in the trade
Education remains a top priority for the destination’s UK strategy following the launch of its own travel advisor platform in April 2024. The platform currently offers nine modules covering The Palm Beaches’ history, regions, and tourism products.
“At the beginning, it would take about an hour and a half to complete, but now we’ve reduced it to 45 minutes. At the end of the course, agents will become specialists in The Palm Beaches; they will receive a certificate to show this [...] We have a goal of 600 advisors to be certified globally for this year.”
“We also incentivise agencies, typically with gift cards or giveaways, because the biggest thing for us is education. We have 39 cities, and those 39 cities are very distinct. Each of them has its own hotel product tourism offering, attractions, activities, culinary, and so it’s important for us to make sure that the trade and the end consumer understand what we are.”
A new type of visitor
The Palm Beaches is also investing heavily in year-round events to attract new audiences. Among the fastest-growing is Eudēmonia, an annual wellness festival held each November that brings together internationally recognised speakers, yoga sessions, spa experiences and mindfulness programming.
Food tourism is another growing focus, with the annual Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival showcasing celebrated chefs and the destination's expanding culinary scene.
Meanwhile, the colourful Pink Retreat, inspired by the iconic Lilly Pulitzer fashion brand founded in Palm Beach, has become another signature event, attracting visitors each summer.
For the destination, the goal is clear: attract travellers looking for authentic, high-quality experiences rather than mass tourism.
"We're focused on attracting the right visitor. When people come, they understand what makes The Palm Beaches unique. It's not a mass-market destination. It's somewhere that offers something different for couples, families and multi-generational travellers alike."
