Published on January 31, 2025 at 11:09 am
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In 2024, the city of Jacksonville welcomed more than 8 million visitors. Our number this week is the economic impact of all those people traveling to and through the River City: an estimated $7.4 billion.
$7.4 billion
According to the city’s tourism marketer Visit Jacksonville, that includes about $2.8 billion in wages for local employees. And for every 143 visitors, a new local job is created.
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Visit Jax says visitors in 2024 booked about 5 million rooms at local hotels, generating more than $31 million in local “bed taxes” alone, plus additional revenue in local sales taxes. On average, each visit to Jacksonville included 2.4 people who collectively spent $1,100.
December was an especially good month for Jacksonville tourism. Hotel occupancy rates approached 70% — 29,000 more guest rooms booked than during the same time period in 2023.
Who’s coming to town? Nearly 75% of Jacksonville’s visitors in 2024 were adults between 25 and 54, with a median age of 41.
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