Beyond the Beach: Why Greater Fort Lauderdale Is Booming Beyond Its Cruise Ports

With more than 24 miles of beaches, family-friendly attractions like museums and botanical gardens, and a rich culinary scene to impress even the most staunch foodie, Greater Fort Lauderdale has plenty to entice travelers.

The region is well known as a cruise port. Last year, Greater Fort Lauderdale welcomed more than 20.9 million travelers into the destination, while Port Everglades welcomed more than 4 million cruise passengers, representing a 16.2% increase from 2024.

While the beaches and cruise port continue to draw in travelers, this Florida destination has been investing in its tourism sector to widen its appeal. One area poised for growth is in the meetings and incentives segment: The region invested over $1 billion to expand The Broward County Convention Center, which now boasts over 1.2 million square feet of total event space — which includes a 350,000-square-foot exhibit hall and a 65,000-square-foot waterfront ballroom. The connecting Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel — also new — has added 801 rooms and is the first convention-center-connected hotel in the destination,

Greater Fort Lauderdale also made history this summer by partnering with KultureCity to become a sensory-inclusive destination. Beach visitors with invisible disabilities like autism spectrum disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder can access tools like noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, feeling thermometer cards, and strobe-reduction sunglasses. The participating beaches also feature designated calm spaces and accessible beach equipment, including beach wheelchairs.

Travel Market Report sat down with Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale, the official tourism marketing agency for Broward County, Florida, to learn more about the destination’s growth and the opportunities for travel advisors looking to add pre- and post-cruise stays.

“There’s just so much else to do here that is beyond the beach,” said Ritter. “[Greater Fort Lauderdale’s] growth from a sleepy little beach town to a cosmopolitan, luxury-oriented urban environment [has been] a really cool evolution to watch.”

What’s New in Greater Fort Lauderdale: Hotels & Michelin Stars

When asked what’s new and trending for tourism in Greater Fort Lauderdale, Ritter pointed to the recent investment in the convention center, new hotels, and the growing culinary scene.

The expanded convention center and Omni Hotel are major developments for the region. Ritter explained to TMR that the enhancement makes Greater Fort Lauderdale a more attractive location for meetings and conventions, which in turn makes the area more competitive with other Florida destinations.

The new Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel has benefits beyond MICE: the property is conveniently located approximately 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and is just steps away from the Port Everglades Cruise Terminal. On the property, guests can choose from seven distinct dining venues, including Reef 76 Kitchen + Bar, Fair Ketch, Leeward Market, Hidden Key, Tide Coastal Kitchen, Ibis Sky Lounge, and Barchetta. The Mokara Spa, which was inspired by Florida’s natural springs, features an open-air courtyard lounge, complete with an intimate plunge pool.

Ritter also highlighted the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, which opened its doors in 2022. The luxury property is the region’s first Five-Diamond hotel, and its restaurant MAASS earned a Michelin star. As a long-time resident of Greater Fort Lauderdale, Ritter is proud of the area’s growth in the luxury sector.

“MAASS, which is at the Four Seasons, actually has a star. It’s the first time we’ve ever had a restaurant that had a star,” said Ritter. “If someone told me back in the ’80s that we would have a Four Seasons, none of us would have believed it.”

In addition to its Michelin-star restaurant, Greater Fort Lauderdale has several unique culinary spots that are worth a visit. Larb Thai Asian, Evelyn’s, and Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse are all Michelin Recommended restaurants, and Heritage is recognized by Michelin’s Bib Gourmand award. Ritter also mentioned 15th Street Fisheries, an award-winning waterfront dining venue located in an authentic marina.

“The water taxi continues to be a real attraction for visitors,” explained Ritter. “You can hop on a water taxi, dock and dine and shop, [then] hop back on the water taxi. It’ll drop you off right at your hotel.”

Selling Pre- and Post-Cruise Extensions

The cruise industry continues to be a growing segment for Greater Fort Lauderdale’s tourism. Port Everglades serves as Disney Cruise Line’s second home port, and both Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group operate sailings here year-round. As mentioned above, the number of cruise passengers passing through this port increased 16.2% year-over-year in 2025.

Ritter predicts that more mega ships will continue to operate from Port Everglades, and that traveler numbers will continue to increase.

“The cruise sector continues to grow, which is remarkable because I think a lot of people might have thought that, okay, how much bigger can it get? … These mega ships seem to be not a trend anymore, but an established practice now. You’re just going to get larger and larger ships.”

For travel advisors, this presents an opportunity to book not just cruises, but pre- and post-cruise extensions. Although the airport is only a 15-minute drive from the terminal, adding a pre-cruise extension is a great upsell opportunity that gives travelers peace of mind in case they encounter flight delays.

“If you’re coming pre- or post-[cruise] and you’re not in a rush to get from the airport to your ship, there are plenty of hotels within a two-mile radius on the beach specifically, which can accommodate a cruise passenger,” said Ritter.

With interest in ocean cruising on the rise and plenty of sailings from Port Everglades, the challenge for travel advisors isn’t so much getting clients to travel to Greater Fort Lauderdale as much as it is getting them to stay. Ritter recommends advisors refer to the support materials provided by Visit Lauderdale.

“I would direct [advisors] to our Lauderdale Loyalist program, which you can find on our Visit Lauderdale website,” said Ritter. “[It] is a free interactive program that shows you basically all there is about Greater Fort Lauderdale. … It gives you tips on what to talk to your clients about if you’re a travel advisor.”

There’s also a passport program and an incentive program that is also available on the Visit Lauderdale website, designed for travel advisors and tour operators. These outline the experiences that are available in Greater Fort Lauderdale in one easy place, including experiences like Black history tours, museums, and an IMAX theater.

At the end of the day, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s biggest selling point remains its beaches.

“We’ve got dozens of hotels because we have 24 miles of beach,” said Ritter. “There are eight different beach cities and each beach city has its own vibe … 80% of our visitors come for the beach.”