Hillsborough County Tourism Hits Billion-Dollar Threshold for Third Consecutive Calendar Year

Friday, Jan 10, 2025 0

Record November Revenue Passes $100 Million for First Time Ever

Hillsborough County’s tourism and hospitality industry eclipsed the billion-dollar mark in hotel taxable revenue in 2024 for an unprecedented third-straight calendar year, with $1,052,883,894 earned through the end of November.

November hotel taxable revenue surpassed $100 million for the first time and generated tourist development tax (TDT) collections of $6,159,362, both November records. This solid welcome to the holiday travel season represented a 35.8% increase over the same period last year.

November’s performance follows on the heels of record hotel revenue and collections in October and September 2024 as well, propelling the destination past the billion-dollar threshold with December’s collections still to be tallied. Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, said this wave of success is a sign of the drive generated through partnership, innovation, and leadership.

“Exceeding the billion-dollar threshold for the third year in a row is a testament to officials in each municipality and at the county-level, our innovators and investors in every hospitality sector, and the collective efforts of our more than 900 partners,” said Corrada.

Hotels saw a new all-time high in occupancy for November at 81.1%, a 21.8% increase from November 2023. Full rooms combined with an Average Daily Hotel Room Rate (ADR) of $169.83 and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of $137.76 fueled November’s feat, something Corrada attributes to the strength of the local hospitality industry and recent key marketing campaigns.

“Our industry found opportunities in the face of challenges in the past year,” said Corrada. “That kind of determination along with investments in marketing the destination in the wake of high-profile weather events have helped Tampa Bay’s hospitality industry thrive at a record pace.”