Tourism in St. Augustine

Tourism in St. Augustine, By Breanna Sooter

With events like the Light Up Night, the first night of the popular Night of Lights, there is hope for tourism in St. Augustine. The square downtown was abuzz with people and businesses were alive and hopping.

With some events beginning as early as 4 in the afternoon, downtown St. Augustine was full of people getting ready for the yearly lighting of the lights. Businesses like the Casa Monica Hotel sold hot chocolate outside the hotel to those watching the lighting ceremony. Two weddings took place downtown on the same night, adding even more people to the area.

Many businesses have been ready and waiting for this time of year for their business. The Bunnery Café has experienced a slow past few months. Julie Holmes, manager of the café said that the past few months have been what a typical September is; very slow. She has had to cut come hours, but not any people. She said, “You do what you have to do for September, cut back a little on the product, cut back on the hours…” Holmes is very optimistic sales will improve for this November and December, “By the end of the year, I hope we’re rockin’ and rollin'”

Café del Hidalgo, a café downtown, has experienced a slowing down in business as well, but is fortunate due to its location on the corner of Hypolita Street and St. George Street. “We havn’t been hit hard like some mom and pop restaurants,” said Rosa Oliveri, employee of the café. Though Oliveri did say that three years ago, sales were twice as high at this time of year. Oliveri said that the restaurant's customer base has seen a rise in European tourists, as the Euro is much stronger than the dollar. Hidalgo is a specialty place, which means you pay for higher quality food, which has changed the type of tourists that frequent the cafe. Their central location ensures that trolleys stop right outside the café, easily drawing people in with their specialty gelato and excellent food. “Usually holiday tourists come back, I know it will increase more than it does now…the holidays will pick back up.”

Nights like the night of the Light Up Ceremony are great for businesses like Café del Hidalgo as St. George St. is full of tourists and residents alike. As we near December, all of these downtown businesses are hopeful that their businesses will pick up and make up for the rest of the year.