Tourism wins when Gators and Dawgs fans head to Jacksonville for Florida-Georgia game

Many St Johns County short-term rental operators are excited to see that guests are eager to head back to the stands and seats again as iconic competitions, like the Florida-Georgia game, and other big events like major music festivals are making a comeback.

With the University of Georgia and University of Florida football players set to face off again this weekend, and fans set to descend on our area to cheer on their teams, those Historic City News readers hosting short term accommodations will earn a nice paycheck, according to Liz DeBold Fusco, spokeswoman for Airbnb.

“When the Gators faced off with the Dawgs in Jacksonville in 2019, local Airbnb hosts earned nearly $250,000, suggesting this big event will mean big opportunity for those with space to share,” Fusco reported. “The return of big events stands to bring meaningful economic benefits to Jacksonville’s hosts and the larger community, including the small businesses that hosts recommend to their guests.”

The top origin cities for guest arrivals this weekend include Atlanta, Georgia; Athens, Georgia; Orlando, Florida; Gainesville, Florida; and Tampa, Florida. In fact, the top two origin states for guest arrivals are Georgia and Florida. Before cancellations or alterations, nearly 37 percent of guest arrivals in Jacksonville this weekend are from Georgia, and over 32 percent are from Florida.

Searches for stays in Jacksonville during the coming game weekend increased by more than 20 percent from June to July.  According to Fusco, new hosts on Airbnb have earned $6 billion in income since the pandemic began, and the typical Airbnb host earns $9,600.

Fusco reported that for Historic City News readers interested in earning extra income by hosting their home during big events in Jacksonville, Airbnb has made it easier than ever to get started with a brand new suite of hosting tools.