ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg and Clearwater are major attractions for tourists, and the airport is a prime example of the region’s growth.
And as tourist numbers continue to rise across Florida, St. Pete-Clearwater Airport is celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week.
What you need to know St. Petersburg and Clearwater are big attractions for tourists. In March, Pinellas County collected $14.6 million in tourism taxes.
According to Visit Florida, just over 141 million people visited Florida in 2023.
St. Pete Clearwater International Airport
According to Visit Florida, just over 141 million people visited Florida in 2023. In the first quarter of this year, Florida had nearly 41 million visitors, an increase of 1.2% compared to the first quarter of last year.
Nineteen airports in Florida saw an increase of 9.4 percent or more by 2024.
Pinellas County has high tourist tax collections. The county collected $14.6 million in tourism taxes in March, up from $13.6 a year earlier.
And this trend appears to be trending upward for the rest of the year.
Pinellas County business owners said they’ve noticed an increase in tourists lately.
“I think 5 to 10 percent of the ballpark is local,” said Jordan Kahn, owner of Kahn Donuts in St. Pete. “And the rest are all tourists.”
Unsurprisingly, Orlando International Airport is the busiest airport in the state, with all the theme parks surrounding it and the Kennedy Space Center.
The upcoming Memorial Day weekend is also expected to be the busiest with tourists.
