Tampa bed tax collections rise 15%

June numbers show Hillsborough County could exceed $1 billion in taxable revenue.

By Jim Stinson
| 2:45 p.m. July 27, 2023
| 2 Free Articles Remaining!

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity's 86th Grand Chapter Meeting in Tampa from July 18 to Sunday is just one of the many conventions Visit Tampa Bay hopes will push taxable bed revenues to $1 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

Hillsborough County collected $5,257,350 in hotel taxes for June, collected from May bookings.

The numbers are down a bit from May numbers from April bookings, which were $6,571,482, say officials from Visit Tampa Bay.

June's revenue from Tampa's tourist development tax collections help the county surpass the $52 million mark for the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. The total taxable revenue numbers for June, from May business, were $873,439,297, which means Hillsborough County hotel revenue will pass its $1 billion goal, say Visit Tampa Bay officials in a Thursday news release.

The June numbers are a slight decrease from June 2022, when Hillsborough collected $5,381,108. But taxable revenue in 2022 was $44,969,261 at this point in the fiscal year, so Hillsborough County in fiscal year 2023 is running more than 15.9% ahead of fiscal year 2022.

Hotel occupancy for June came in at 69.5%, says Visit Tampa Bay. The average daily rate for June was $140.59.

Visit Tampa Bay officials say they are preparing for continuing strong summer business, some of which has already shown up. From July 18 to Sunday, the Kappa Alpha Psi organization convention met in Tampa. Visit Tampa Bay officials say the convention had massive economic impact with as many as 20,000 visitors.

"Welcoming visitors such as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. for its 86th Grand Chapter Meeting ... brought almost 20,000 attendees," says Santiago Corrada, CEO and president of Visit Tampa Bay in the news statement. "(The event) produced an estimated $15 million in economic impact to Hillsborough County. … These distinguished men and their families took over 'Kappa Bay' by exploring our world-class attractions, new hotels and excellent culinary scene."

Visit Tampa Bay officials told the Business Observer they expect more such convention and tourist business in the remaining summer months. And tourists will continue to come to visit Tampa and Hillsborough County for its culinary spots, water attractions and other tourist hot spots, they say.