Tampa hotel revenue tops $758M, breaking previous record set in 2019

The region has been rated the No. 1 U.S. destination in terms of hotel occupancy.

By Business Observer Staff
| 9:39 a.m. February 3, 2022
| 2 Free Articles Remaining!

Tampa Bay has been rated the No. 1 destination in the country in terms of hotel occupancy levels. (Courtesy photo)

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

TAMPA — Tampa Bay’s tourism industry came roaring back in 2021, with hotel revenue exceeding $758 million — shattering the previous record, set in 2019, by $50 million.

Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO Santiago Corrada. (Courtesy photo)

According to a news release issued by Visit Tampa Bay, the destination marketing organization for Tampa and Hillsborough County, STR Inc. — a division of CoStar Group that specializes in hotel data — Tampa Bay is now the nation’s No. 1 destination in terms of hotel occupancy, edging Miami by 1.6%. The region ranks third, nationwide, in the revenue per available room category.

So far, 2022 is off to a hot start as bed tax collections for the month of January surged to more than $4.495 million — a 32.8% increase over January 2020, the previous record-holding month.

“Our recovery is well ahead of schedule and the news from a visitor perspective is overwhelmingly positive,” Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO Santiago Corrada states in the release. “Our team and partners have worked tirelessly to beat expectations and bring economic growth to our community. The past 12 months have seen Tampa Bay shine brighter and bolder.”