TDT Release
TOURISM IN BLOOM AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY’S HOTEL REVENUE REACHES $115 MILLION IN APRIL
Eight Straight Months of Milestones Strongly Position Summer’s “Time to Play” Campaign
Tampa, FL (June 16, 2025) – Hillsborough County’s string of new monthly benchmarks in taxable hotel revenue continued after earning $115,655,222 in April. The figure marked eight consecutive months of revenue milestones, besting April 2023’s previous high-water mark by 5.6%.
More than 40 conventions, meetings, and gatherings contributed to April’s performance, including the NCAA Women’s Final Four that was held in Tampa for a record-setting fourth time. In all, events generated nearly 61,000 hotel room nights booked and some, like the 72nd Alpha Kappa Alpha South Atlantic Regional Conference, gave back to our community through Visit Tampa Bay’s “Meeting the Moment” program. Volunteers from AKA partnered with No Kid Hungry and Denny’s to provide more than 1,200 meals and snacks to children experiencing food insecurity.
“April's strong performance is in line with robust results seen in previous months going back to last fall," said Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. "Major investments in sales and marketing across top geographic and psychographic targets, both domestically and internationally, have created a level of excellence and leadership that OTAs, tour operators, associations, meeting planners, and discerning travelers have all appreciated.”
Corrada added that travel industry professionals and press have all come to see Tampa Bay as a place that perennially captures attention. “Kayak, as reported recently in Travel + Leisure, named Tampa Bay the top trending summer destination. That kind of recognition from two standard bearers in the travel industry underlines both our growth as a destination with the industry and recognition in the media.”
Monthly hotel occupancy of 75.8% with an Average Daily Rate of $197.75 and Revenue Per Available Room of $149.95 contributed to April's strong performance. Tampa Bay has now seen seven straight months of hotel revenue exceeding $100 million, a Hillsborough County first. Tampa Bay has led or nearly led occupancy rates across the nation since the start of the calendar year.
Visit Tampa Bay and its partners are focused on carrying the momentum of spring’s performance through the summer with the launch of its new Time to Play in Tampa Bay campaign. The campaign, which started last month and runs through July, was developed by FKQ Advertising + Marketing and focuses on key drive markets including Atlanta, Orlando, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale, reaching both English and Spanish-speaking audiences.
With messaging centered around themes like Time to Play, Time for Adventure, Time to Savor, and Time to Breathe, the campaign encourages vacationers to make the most of their time and boost summer visitation to Hillsborough County—positioning Tampa Bay as a must-visit getaway for both families and luxury travelers alike.
“This summer is THE time to play in Tampa Bay,” Corrada emphasized. “Our destination has something for everyone - world-class attractions, MICHELIN-starred dining, luxury experiences, and laid-back vibes. Whatever inspires and delights you, Tampa Bay has something to experience.”
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.