Tampa, FL (March 14, 2025) - The Tampa Convention Center is helping set more tourism records, as it fueled record-breaking hotel revenue in Hillsborough County in January. Taxable tourism revenue in the county reached $123,728,598, an 18.9% increase over last year.
This record was announced by Visit Tampa Bay, the region’s non-profit destination marketing organization.
The county saw a hotel occupancy rate of 80.3% in January. This positioned Tampa Bay as the top destination among Leisure and Convention competitors, according to hospitality data firm STR. Tampa Bay ranked ahead of in-state destinations like Orlando, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, and out-of-state destinations ike Nashville, Austin, and Charlotte.
January also marked the fourth-straight month of hotel revenue in the county exceeding $100 million. This represents a strong level of performance dating back to October 2024.
These numbers show a notable recovery from last fall’s storm season. After back-to-back hurricanes, Hillsborough County’s convention and hospitality infrastructure emerged with minimal disruption, with major conventions arriving within 24-48 hours after the storms.
“Momentum is a powerful thing, and the Hillsborough County tourism industry has it right now,” said Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO, Santiago C. Corrada. “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 the Tampa Convention Center
Located in the heart of Downtown Tampa, Florida, the Tampa Convention Center offers sparkling waterfront views, 600,000 square feet of transformable event spaces, and state-of-the-art amenities for event and meeting planners. The center has earned several prestigious awards, including the gold medal for Best Convention Center in the Southeast U.S. in The Stella Awards by Northstar Meetings Group two years in a row in 2023 and 2024.