CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — A popular Citrus County business is expanding its operation.
Paddletail Waterfront Adventures has called Crystal River “home” for close to five years.
The shop is just one example of how businesses are thriving in a growing tourism industry in what’s known as the “Manatee Capital of the World.”
Excitement is mounting in Crystal River. Business leaders are celebrating their trademarking of the “Manatee Capital of the World,” which was unveiled at the monthly Partners in Tourism event.
“The name of the game here, for us, is to elevate that service of a manatee tour,” said Paul Cross, managing partner at Paddletail Waterfront Adventures.
Cross knows that all too well. The business has a brand-new state-of-the-art facility and a hotel lodge on the way.
“We’re the ‘Manatee Capital of the World,’” says Cross. “We’ve been the ‘Manatee Capital of the World’ for a long period of time, but it’s just really starting to feel that that is the case. Like the word is out there. People from all over the world are coming here.”
And it’s not only Cross who’s noticing. Other business owners and residents have paid attention.
“Whether it’s staycations, vacations — people are coming from Tampa or Orlando or as far as from New York,” said Auvis Cole, tourism director for Discover Crystal River.
Cole says they just finished an impact visitor report for 2024, finding that the 1.7 million visitors spent close to $526 million throughout Citrus County.
“Almost 700,000 overnights, quite almost over a little bit over a million for day trippers,” Cole said. “And what it’s showing all the businesses, the entrepreneurs and the local businesses — there’s plenty of opportunity.”
Opportunity that Cross has seen and decided to take. Expanding his business, beyond the manatee tours.
“We try to go for quality over the quantity, right?” said Cross. “And that’s what this building is about — it’s about quality. I would much rather take 100 people than 300 people if I can give them the quality that they deserve on a tour. And that’s what our mission is here.”
While his operation has changed, the mission stays the same. A mission that he owes, Cross says, to the visitors of Crystal River.
“Just give that once in a lifetime experience to every customer that walks in our door,” said Cross. “We want to make sure that they leave with that five-star experience that we’re all striving for. So that would be the ultimate goal — to make sure our rooms are full and our guests are leaving with a satisfied feeling.”
It’s so that visitors keep returning to the “Manatee Capital of the World.” Cross says he plans to open the new Paddletail facility during the second week in July — just in time for scallop season.
Calvin Lewis
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