TDC: Bed‑tax revenue tops $72.5 million as Visit Tampa Bay cites marketing gains
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Summary
Visit Tampa Bay reported a strong fiscal year for Hillsborough County tourism on Nov. 13, saying bed‑tax collections exceeded $72.5 million and hotel taxable revenue topped $1.2 billion; the TDC accepted the report unanimously.
Visit Tampa Bay presented the TDC’s quarterly marketing and performance report on Nov. 13, reporting record‑high bed‑tax collections and a series of marketing initiatives the organization said drove visitation.
Visit Tampa Bay’s presenter said fourth‑quarter results helped push fiscal‑year bed‑tax collections to more than $72.5 million and put hotel taxable revenue above $1.2 billion. The presenter also noted growth in partner engagement (nearly 1,000 partners), 842 media placements in the prior year, and targeted campaigns in Florida drive markets such as Orlando and Miami.
"With that fourth quarter, we hit over $72,000,000 in the fiscal year for tourism tax dollars," the presenter said. The report showed year‑to‑date collections were favorable and that some seasonal comparisons are affected by last year’s abnormal events (severe weather drove visitation to parts of the county in the prior year).
Board members moved to accept the quarterly report; the motion passed unanimously. During discussion, staff and board members noted headwinds such as potential legislative changes and airline or FAA issues that could affect future performance.
The TDC thanked Visit Tampa Bay staff for the marketing work and asked for continued updates as the agency pursues partner campaigns and major events.
