Palm Beach County is on track to exceed its tourism records, as reported by Discover The Palm Beaches (DTPB), the county's official destination marketing organization, during the State of the Tourism Industry event held on December 8 at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.
The county has seen a significant increase in visitors, with 9.5 million tourists spending $7 billion, marking a 4.4% rise in visitation and 4.5% increase in spending from the 2022 forecast. The tourism sector has notably contributed to lodging revenues of $1.4 billion and is anticipated to support over 85,000 jobs, generating an estimated economic impact of $10 billion in the area, with further growth expected in 2024.
To accommodate this surge, Palm Beach County plans to open 17 new hotels, adding 2,371 rooms by 2026. Additionally, existing hotels and attractions have seen renovations exceeding $500 million. DTPB’s President and CEO, Milton Segarra, emphasized tourism's role in enhancing residents' quality of life and local businesses, viewing it as key to the county's transformation and future development.
The county is also exploring the addition of a second headquarters hotel in the West Palm Beach convention district to bolster its event and meeting capabilities. This initiative aligns with the recommendation of a 2020 County Commission study, suggesting at least 600 rooms. Segarra encourages community involvement in the hotel planning process.
For 2024, DTPB aims to ramp up international marketing in countries like Canada, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, and the U.K., targeting the 8% of county visitors who are international travelers. As a not-for-profit tourism organization, Discover The Palm Beaches promotes the 39 cities and towns within Palm Beach County.