In November, St. Pete achieved a milestone by collecting over $1 million in monthly tourist development taxes for the first time.

The Pinellas County Tourist Development Council is now analyzing the impact of last year’s intense hurricane season on tourism during the holiday period.

Tamara Journeau described downtown Treasure Island as unusually cold and quiet. 

“There are more stores and restaurants closed,” Journeau observed.

Journeau, visiting from Montreal, had been competing in the Flag Football World Championship in Tampa over the past few days. 

She remarked on the noticeable absence of tourists this visit:

“I think we didn’t see much of tourists,” she noted.

As recovery efforts continue in this beach town, the county is reviewing how storms affected tourism income.

“Treasure Island and Madeira Beach saw a slight dip, primarily because many small businesses haven’t reopened yet,” said Clyde Smith from Bilmar Beach Resort.

Smith, part of the county’s development team, added, “We’re seeing things come back slower than we’d like, but we’re starting to see an uptick in demand as we approach Spring Break.”

St. Pete Beach residents share similar experiences.

“Despite the occasional irritation with traffic, it’s vital for our economy,” Smith remarked.

Post-storm, St. Pete’s downtown was bustling with people spending, leading to the record-breaking tax collection.

“It’s mostly displaced homeowners and renters needing temporary housing while their homes are being fixed,” Smith explained.

Due to storm damage, attractions like Tropicana Field have been shuttered. Nonetheless, Visit St. Pete-Clearwater is launching a new “Still Shining” campaign to revitalize tourism.

“Clearwater is more than just sand and sea. We will show that a vacation here means incredible beaches, calm waters, sunny weather, and much more,” stated Visit St. Pete-Clearwater.

For more details on the “Still Shining” campaign, visit the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater website.

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(Image credit: WTSP)