Pinellas by Design
Pinellas by Design

Tourism

Pinellas County Beach photo provided by the Pinellas County Communications Dept.
Tourism has long been a vital economic sector in Pinellas County. Today it is larger than ever, attracting between four and five million visitors annually. Because tourists come from outside the local area, paying for accommodations and services with money earned in their home states and countries, it is considered a primary industry. While it does not hold the central role it once did, it remains an important part of the local economy.

The barrier island system, with its 35 miles of white sand beaches, is the county's most important tourism district. However, because of the attractiveness of the environment and the fact that most structures are several decades old, these communities are experiencing an increased demand for redevelopment. Older hotels are increasingly being torn down and replaced with high-priced condominiums. These redevelopments improve the appearance of properties and increase their taxable value, but reduce the supply of visitor accommodations, which could have a significant negative impact on the tourism industry over time.

The barrier island local governments are concerned about this trend, and have begun to search for ways to preserve tourist accommodations. Many of the techniques recommended by the Economic Development and Redevelopment Plan for the Pinellas Community, such as providing regulatory and financial incentives for desired types of redevelopment, can assist with this process. However, with land on the barrier islands already extremely scarce and demand for waterfront condominium units at an all-time high, it is unlikely that these solutions will be able to stem market forces entirely.

Given this strong redevelopment pressure, there is an opportunity to enhance the vibrancy of the barrier island communities. Government investment is needed to enhance public spaces, and to encourage private property owners-particularly tourist-related businesses-to improve and upgrade their properties. This will increase the county's competitiveness in the tourism industry, and also support a very high-quality residential setting that will help attract owners and employees of high wage primary businesses.
Downtown Tarpon Springs

At the same time that the barrier islands are undergoing these changes, tourism itself is changing in ways that create new economic opportunities. While the beaches remain a popular destination, a growing number of visitors prefer accommodations and entertainment on the mainland. For example, many tourists seek out downtown destinations that provide a variety of shopping, dining, nightlife, and entertainment venues in a compact, walkable area. Business travelers require corporate-class hotels and convention space, particularly near employment districts. Others are drawn to the area by major sports events. And the county's natural, historic, and cultural offerings attract their own special-interest visitors.

Many of the same amenities that help attract tourists are also highly desired by residents and primary employers. Therefore, as redevelopment continues throughout the county, development of assets that support tourism should be fully explored.

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