TDT Numbers
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HOTEL REVENUE IS A JANUARY BEST AND SECOND HIGHEST MONTH IN HISTORY
Tampa Bay Leads Nation Across Leisure and Convention Competitive Destination Sets
Tampa, FL (March 7, 2025) – Tampa Bay tourism is off to a vigorous start in 2025 as Hillsborough County’s taxable revenue set a new January record at $123,728,598, an 18.9% increase over last year’s $104 million and exceeding January 2023’s previous high by more than $17 million.
January’s revenue, fueled by hotel occupancy exceeding 80% and the efforts of nearly 60,000 Hillsborough County hospitality professionals, is the second-highest total of any month on record and only the third time in Hillsborough County history that monthly taxable hotel revenue exceeded $120 million (also: March 2023 - $129,974,269 and February 2024 - $121,501,863).
Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO, Santiago C. Corrada, says that January’s figures are also the fourth-straight month of revenue exceeding $100 million, representing a strong level of performance dating back to last October.
“This is only the third time in the history that Hillsborough County has recorded four-straight months of $100 million in hotel revenue,” Corrada explained. “And it’s the first time that it’s been this stretch of months, October through January. Revenue has achieved new heights for each respective month, and occupancy rates and other key financial figures have also performed well.”
In addition to an occupancy rate of 80.3%, Tampa Bay’s robust January saw an Average Daily Hotel Room Rate (ADR) of $191.54 and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of $153.72, an increase of 9% and 20.6%, respectively, from these same figures last year.
Hillsborough County’s January performance positioned Tampa Bay as the top destination among Leisure and Convention competitors according to hospitality data firm, STR. Tampa Bay, by occupancy percentage, ranked ahead of in-state destinations like Orlando, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, and out-of-state destinations like Nashville, Austin, and Charlotte.
Corrada emphasized this high-level performance has been ongoing since navigating last fall’s storm season. Hillsborough County’s convention and hospitality infrastructure emerged with minimal disruption, major conventions arrived within 24-48 hours after the storms, and a strategic marketing campaign was launched letting the world know Tampa Bay is Ready.
“Momentum is a powerful thing, and the Hillsborough County tourism industry has it right now,” said Corrada. “But this doesn’t happen on its own and it’s not generated by an invisible force. It’s a result of the collaborative work of county and city officials, hoteliers, restauranteurs, owners of attractions, and other business proprietors that make up our more than 900 partners. Together, they seize opportunities and overcome challenges to keep Tampa Bay top-of-mind for business and leisure travelers, generating nearly $9 billion in economic impact for our community.”
ABOUT VISIT TAMPA BAY
The heart of Florida’s Gulf Coast beats in Tampa Bay. Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventure with a relaxing vibe to create vacation experiences that are authentically Tampa Bay. As a not-for-profit corporation certified by Destinations International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), we work with hundreds of partners to tell the world the story of Tampa Bay. Treasure awaits. For more information, visit our website.