Home » Tourism News » Hillsborough County sets new record for June tourism revenue
Saturday, July 27, 2024
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Hillsborough County’s tourism industry enjoyed record-breaking success in June, with tourism tax collections and taxable hotel revenue reaching record highs.
Hillsborough County’s tourism department had its most successful June ever, setting new records for Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections and taxable hotel revenue. Mirroring May data, June TDT collections soared to $5,400,066, while taxable hotel revenue reached an astounding $90,046,768.
While summer is typically a time when tourism to the Tampa Bay region slows, this year has been a big exception, said Santiago C. Collada, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Tourism Association, who attributed June’s strong performance to the region’s growing popularity as a destination for major conferences and meetings.
Tampa Bay Tourism Authority President and CEO Santiago C. Collada warmly welcomed the brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and esteemed guests to the 84th Annual Grand Conclave on June 28. Hillsborough County’s tourism industry enjoyed its most successful June ever, breaking records in both Tourist Development Tax collections and taxable hotel revenues, and events like the Grand Conclave played a large role in this achievement.
“It’s hard to overstate how important conventions and meetings are to our local economy,” said Collada. “For example, two major conventions — Global Special Operations Foundation’s SOF Week in early May and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.’s Grand Conclave in late June — attracted approximately 50,000 attendees and generated an estimated $40 million in economic impact. June’s record revenues are directly attributable to our ability to not only attract but successfully host these events, and we have worked hard with our partners to make Tampa Bay a top choice for conventioneers, meeting professionals and leisure travelers.”
Hotel occupancy rates were strong in June, reaching 71.3%, up 2.7% year-on-year. Revenue per room increased 6% compared to June 2023 to $103.51, while the average daily rate was $145.11, 3.3% higher than last June’s figure.
A crowd gathers to watch a U.S. Army MH-6 helicopter fly over Garrison Channel outside the Tampa Convention Center on May 8 during a live capability demonstration at SOF Week 2024. Hillsborough County’s tourism department saw its best June ever with record-breaking numbers in tourist development tax collections and taxable hotel revenues. Events such as SOF Week contributed greatly to this success.
Summer convention action is in full swing in Tampa Bay, as Destinations International, the leading association for destination professionals, held its largest annual convention ever, convening 2,000 travel and tourism professionals at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street from July 16-18. Looking ahead, Visit Tampa Bay is preparing to welcome more than 2,000 top tourism professionals, travel experts and state leaders to the Florida Governor’s Tourism Conference in August.
Partnering with more than 900 organizations, Tampa Bay Tourism strives to create uniquely Tampa Bay experiences for visitors from all walks of life. Last year, this vibrant industry supported more than 59,000 jobs, generated $535 million in state and local taxes and contributed nearly $9 billion to Hillsborough County’s economic impact.
Tags: conventions, Destinations International, economic impact, Hillsborough County, hotel revenues, June revenues, record breaking, SOF Week, Tampa Bay, tourism, tourist tax
