Susan Phillips, President & CEO, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau

July 2026 — In an interview with Invest:, Susan Phillips, president and CEO of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau, discussed tourism strategy, stakeholder alignment, and the balance between growth and sustainability. “If something is not good for our residents, it will not be good for our visitors long term,” Phillips said.

What have been the key milestones or strategic developments for the Visitors & Convention Bureau over the past year?

We have gone through a really interesting time over the past few years. During COVID, we had exponential growth as a destination, and part of that was because the state stayed open for tourism. We were also seen as a safe destination. We do not have a lot of high-rise hotels, and we have a lot of outdoor natural beauty, so people felt comfortable coming here.

After COVID, we started seeing a reset. I kept telling our hoteliers and stakeholders that we cannot continue to have double-digit growth year over year and month over month. At some point, it is not sustainable. When it reset, everybody panicked because we had been doing so well, but it was expected.

At the same time, we saw changes with tariffs, and some of our international visitation, especially from Canada, slowed significantly. It did not stop completely, but it was enough that we had to refocus. Over the past two and a half years, and especially this past year, we have focused more on domestic visitation.

We have also focused on who we are. What is our DNA? How do we bring back repeat visitors and use the national recognition we receive to reinforce our identity as an authentic destination? From there, we have been evolving toward more of a destination experience.

We are using more analytics and insight to understand our demographics, psychographics, and behaviors. We look at what is driving people and how they engage with us. We are also focused on encouraging longer stays. If visitors stay longer, they spend more and have deeper experiences.

How has national recognition helped position the destination and attract the type of tourism you want?

It can be a double-edged sword. We are very proud of the recognition, but we need to be careful when we talk about it locally because some people feel that awards bring too many visitors. Still, those accolades speak to our authenticity and who we are. We are not paying for recognition. We are earning it. It is valuable not only for awareness but for validation. It reinforces that our authenticity and our history resonate with today’s traveler.

It comes with responsibility and raises expectations. It is not a one-time achievement. It challenges us to keep elevating the experience and to continue striving for excellence. We have to deliver on what we promote, and we are fortunate to have a destination and a community that can do that.

How are you leveraging St. Augustine’s historic significance around the nation’s 250th anniversary?

Our history, culture, and sense of place are central to who we are. We have a good history and a difficult history, and we need to talk about all of it. That foundation is important as we look to the future.

We do not want visitors to come here and just be tourists. We want them to feel like temporary locals. They want hands-on experiences. They want to see and touch history, not just read about it. We have reenactors, cultural storytelling, food, heritage, arts, and a walkable environment that allows them to experience the destination in a meaningful way.

The 250th anniversary is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We are the nation’s oldest city, and that allows us to play a leading role in the national narrative. Visitors can walk through historic buildings, hear the stories, and experience history in a real way.

We have also been intentional about telling a broader story. When Visit Florida worked on a 250th docuseries, I felt it was important to include our rich Black history. We have Fort Mose and other important stories that need to be shared. St. Augustine has also been selected as the location for Florida’s first Black History Museum, which reflects that history.

That is important not only for visitors but for future generations. It allows us to tell those stories in a way that is honest and educational.

How are you integrating technology to enhance the visitor experience while preserving the destination’s historic character?

Technology helps remove friction and supports discovery. Visitors are curious, and we want to enhance their ability to explore the destination in a way that is meaningful to them.

We focus on mobile tools that help guide visitors through experiences. Not everyone is interested in the same things, so customization is important. It is not about creating apps for the sake of having them. It is about enhancing the experience.

A few years ago, before the Black History Museum was being discussed, we developed a Black history app with local partners and historians. It helps tell stories that were not being told through other platforms.

More recently, we developed the Nights of Lights app. Nights of Lights is our holiday season with millions of lights highlighting the architecture and character of the destination. Visitors sometimes did not understand how to experience it. They thought it was something you drive through, when it is really something you walk and experience.

In a short timeframe, we created an app that helps guide visitors. It includes information on parking, shuttles, walking routes, restaurants, music, and other experiences. It became one of the highest trending travel apps in the United States last year, with around 79,000 downloads. It also helped local residents better understand the event.

Behind the scenes, we use AI and analytics to understand trends and behavior. We can see what people are searching for and use that to improve our website and messaging. For us, technology supports both planning and the in-destination experience.

How are you partnering with local businesses, cultural institutions, and government partners to support sustainable tourism?

Partnerships are critical. We work closely with local governments, businesses, and cultural institutions, and that requires strong communication. It does not mean everyone agrees, but it means we continue having conversations.

Local governments are focused on residents, so there can be tension between resident priorities and visitor growth. That is natural. The key is to communicate and find solutions together.

We also work closely with local businesses, many of which are small, family-owned operations. Tourism supports over 32,000 jobs in our county, so it is important that those voices are heard.

Our cultural institutions are also essential. Artists, performers, and historic sites depend on visitors, but we also need to protect those assets. It is about balance. We need to promote the destination while preserving it.

We have seen firsthand how important communication is. During one Nights of Lights season, demand exceeded what our infrastructure could handle. That led to challenges, but it also led to better collaboration and solutions moving forward.

Tourism supports our community in many ways. It contributes to beach renourishment, supports local businesses, and funds arts and cultural programs. We have to continue explaining that value while also listening to concerns.

If something is not good for our residents, it will not be good for our visitors long term. Sustainable tourism requires planning, communication, and balance, and that is something we are constantly working to improve.