'Freedom' Brings Record-breaking Tourism Numbers to Florida

Leah Barkoukis | February 16, 2022 9:00 AM

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday touted the state’s historic levels of tourism in 2021, thanks in part to the “freedom” The Sunshine State offered amid Covid-19 restrictions elsewhere in the nation.

“In 2021, nearly 118 million Americans visited Florida, the highest number of domestic travelers in the history of our state,” the governor tweeted. ‘Our fellow Americans know that, in Florida, they can expect sunshine, great hospitality, and freedom.”

The state is also the No. 1 U.S. destination for international travelers, too.

In 2021, nearly 118 million Americans visited Florida, the highest number of domestic travelers in the history of our state.

Our fellow Americans know that, in Florida, they can expect sunshine, great hospitality, and freedom.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 15, 2022

While Florida wasn’t alone in shunning mask and vaccine requirements, DeSantis has successfully sold the state as the beacon of freedom during the pandemic.

In delivering remarks about tourism, for example, the placard on the podium read, “Vacation to Freedom.”

Governor DeSantis announces Florida had 30.9 million visitors from October to December, the second consecutive quarter where visitation has topped pre-pandemic levels. https://t.co/fPkB78roLp
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 15, 2022

A powerful video pinned to his Twitter account also highlighted the powerful message he gave about freedom during his State of the State address.

While so many around the country have consigned the people’s rights to the graveyard, Florida has stood as freedom’s vanguard.
In Florida, we have protected the right of our citizens to earn a living, provided our businesses with the ability to prosper, fought back against unconstitutional federal mandates and ensured our kids have the opportunity to thrive.
Florida has become the escape hatch for those chafing under authoritarian, arbitrary and seemingly never-ending mandates and restrictions.
Even today, across the nation we see students denied an education due to reckless, politically-motivated school closures, workers denied employment due to heavy-handed mandates and Americans denied freedoms due to a coercive biomedical apparatus.
These unprecedented policies have been as ineffective as they have been destructive. They are grounded more in blind adherence to Faucian declarations than they are in the constitutional traditions that are the foundation of free nations.
Florida is a free state. We reject the biomedical security state that curtails liberty, ruins livelihoods and divides society. And we will protect the rights of individuals to live their lives free from the yoke of restrictions and mandates.
Florida has stood strong as the rock of freedom. And upon this rock we must build Florida’s future. (Gov. Ron DeSantis)