With events like Nights of Lights and a rich history, St. Augustine has been an epicenter for tourism in the state of Florida.
However, now, leaders say they want to make the ancient city a year-round draw for tourists to visit and spend their money.
“These dollars go back into making a really nice quality of life for our St. Johns County residents and our visitors,” Susan Phillips, CEO of the St. Johns County Visitor & Convention Bureau, told Action News Jax Monday. “And again, it’s paid for by the visitors.”
However, Phillips said in 2024, the number of tourists coming to town dropped slightly from years prior.
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The plan now would be to draw international travelers during the times of year when events like Nights of Lights aren’t already packing out the streets of downtown St. Augustine, and even during midweek hours when business slows down.
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“We have Jacksonville which is less than an hour away and Port Canaveral which is two hours away,” Phillips said. “So for the first time we’re gonna be targeting those folks who are coming here and might wanna visit St. Augustine or Ponte Vedra before their cruise or after their cruise.”
Phillips added that the hope is to not simply draw in more travelers, but also wealthier travelers, to boost tourism while mitigating traffic and other impacts.
Nonetheless, St. Augustine locals Action News Jax spoke with Monday are not supportive of the city’s tourism plans.
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“It’s geared now towards tourists,” Aimee Nichols told Action News Jax. “Forget the history, forget what made St. Augustine special, because it’s not any more. And that breaks my heart.”
“I remember what it was like before we became this constant barrage of festivities every weekend,” Debbie Wiles said. “And it would be really nice to calm that down.”
Ultimately, Phillips said the hope is to find a way to boost tourism year round in St. Augustine that’s beneficial to visitors and locals alike.
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‘Forget what made St. Augustine special:’ Locals sounding alarm on plans to boost tourism year-round
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