World Series travel: Estimated 80K travelers expected to have passed through TPA daily
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Bay is drawing baseball fans from across the country as the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays take center stage during the World Series.
World Series travel surge
Big picture view:
Fans have been flying into Tampa International Airport ahead of the games Sunday and Monday, with visitors arriving from states including Alaska, Texas and Maryland. Some Rays fans are also returning to the area to watch the action.
The influx is bringing a noticeable increase in travelers during a time of year that is typically slower for the airport.
A Tampa International Airport spokesperson says nearly 80,000 travelers were expected to pass through the airport each day Sunday and Monday. That's closer to the airport's typical spring break and holiday travel totals than the 55,000 to 60,000 passengers it usually sees during this time of year.
Long-distance Rays fans' loyalty
What they're saying:
For some fans, the opportunity to see their team play in the World Series was worth traveling thousands of miles. Josh Walker, a longtime Brewers fan who now lives in Alaska, said the chance to see his team compete was something he never expected.
"I've been a long time Brewers fan. I never thought I would see the day, so I had to make the jump and come all the way down here to see the game," Walker said.
The trip was also an opportunity to explore a part of Florida he had never visited.
"This was honestly pretty spur of the moment. We haven't planned anything else, but never been to the Tampa area before, so we will definitely check some stuff out during the day," Walker said. "Probably the benefit of having games at eight o'clock at night."
Sandy Gorski, who grew up in Milwaukee but has lived in the Dallas area for the past 17 years, also decided to make the trip after her sister's family got the opportunity to use her sister's season tickets back home.
"I told her, 'you know what? I'm going to go to Tampa, and I'm going to go to Game 4,'" Gorski said.
Regional hospitality impact
Why you should care:
Tourism leaders say the World Series is providing a boost to businesses throughout the Tampa Bay region, including hotels, restaurants, attractions and entertainment venues.
Santiago Corrada, the president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, said the games are adding to the region's existing tourism activity, even as much of the baseball spotlight is focused across the bay in Pinellas County.
"Rising tides lift all boats and the rising tide for this year's World Series is there in Pinellas County, and we couldn't be more complimentary and supportive of their efforts," Corrada said. "So, you know, the expectation is that we will see a bump, right? More of a bump than if we didn't have a World Series happening across the bay, right? That's a cherry on top of all the other things that we've got going on."
Corrada said major events can create additional demand for workers across the hospitality industry, from restaurants and hotels to museums, attractions and theaters.
Visit St. Pete-Clearwater describes the games as an "economic injection" into the region's economy. Major League Baseball estimates postseason games can generate up to $7 million per game in economic impact for the region.
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with Visit Tampa Bay, Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, a spokesperson for Tampa International Airport and baseball fans traveling through TPA.