Take a trip to downtown Tarpon Springs or the Sponge Docks and you'll see, it's busy.
"It's pretty remarkable how quickly our area including, you know, small communities like Tarpon Springs have rebounded, coming out of the pandemic and really not over with it, right. But yet, tourism is booming, not just in Tarpon Springs, but across Pinellas County," explains Leroy Bridges with Visit St. Pete Clearwater.
Businesses we spoke with say things are starting to turn around and events are starting to return to the historic city. In fact, most business we talked with say they're on pace to beat their 2019 numbers.
Visit St. Pete Clearwater bed tax numbers show that's the case too.
"People are seeking outdoor destinations. People are going after, you know, vacations that they can spend a lot of the time outdoors and Tarpon Springs is a perfect community. You know, for that, hopping on a sponge boat tour, walking the sponge docks, grabbing a bite of food it rusty bellies on their outdoor patio. So Tarpon Springs is is a part of our incredible destination that people are in record numbers, booking and visiting at right now. Which is hard to believe. But it is true. That's what we're seeing," says Bridges.
