September TDT

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TOURISM POSTS BEST SEPTEMBER EVER

Back-to-back monthly milestones and five benchmark months in the last seven signal continued visitation momentum for Tampa Bay

Tampa, FL (November 9, 2026) – Tampa Bay opened Fiscal Year 2027 with the strongest September in destination history. Hotel taxable revenue for the month reached $72,764,897, a 9.5% increase from last September.

September’s top results follow a similar trend set in August, which closed out Fiscal Year 2026. Five of the last seven months have produced the strongest revenue results ever generated for that respective month, underscoring the momentum Tampa Bay is seeing in visitation.

"Starting the fiscal year with a standout September, following such a robust August, shows that visitor demand for Tampa Bay keeps building," said Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. "This trend of posting milestone revenue levels in five of the last seven months is a strong sign of where the destination stands as we begin FY27. This consistency reflects the work our sales and marketing teams and our partners put in every day, and we intend to keep that pace and push it even higher."

Tourist Development Taxes collected by the county in September ($4,362,916) were 9.6% higher than the same period last fiscal year. September occupancy rate stood at 64.5%, over 6% higher than September 2025. Average Daily Rate was also up 2.5% from last September at $144.98.

Year to date, Tampa Bay ranks first in convention occupancy and second in leisure occupancy, both at 72.9%, among its competitive set.

Meetings and conventions booked by Visit Tampa Bay, the Tampa Convention Center, and other venues, such as hotel partners, contributed greatly to September’s results. Tampa Bay Comic Convention 2026 booked 2,594 room nights and generated an estimated economic impact of $3,495,016, while Juice Plus+ LIVE Fall 2026 booked 2,189 room nights and added an estimated economic impact of $3,314,793. In total, meetings and conventions booked almost 18,000 room nights (17,920) in September, driving nearly $14 million in estimated economic impact.

"Almost 18,000 room nights from meetings and conventions in a single month reflect the strength of Tampa Bay as a meetings destination," said Corrada. "The impact of those groups extends well beyond our hotels and into the restaurants and attractions across Tampa Bay."

The upcoming months are poised to keep Tampa Bay's momentum glowing through the holiday season. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay transforms the beloved amusement park into a winter wonderland. Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park brings ice skating, hot chocolate, and snow to downtown Tampa, and Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa at Lowry Park features one of the region's largest light displays, adding to a seasonal lineup that gives travelers even more reasons to visit Tampa Bay in November and December.