Tampa Bay, along with nearby cities St. Petersburg and Clearwater, is attracting more visitors than ever before. In fact, the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office reported that visitors to the county in April 2019 generated almost US$3.3 million in tourist development funding based on hotel stays—a 5.8 percent increase over April 2018.
In May, record attendance at the National Defense Industrial Association’s annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference at the Tampa Convention Center helped increase tourism revenue to a new record for the month, according to Visit Tampa Bay, bringing it up 2.6 percent to almost $2.9 million.
Visit Tampa Bay’s annual review of the economic impact of tourism on the local economy showed that visitor spending is up almost 59 percent since the 2009 recession. International visitors are up 45 percent and contribute almost 16 percent of tourist spending. Food and beverage makes up the largest single category of visitor spending at 28 percent, with recreation (24 percent) and lodging (21 percent) rounding out the top three.
It’s because of this growth that Hillsborough County commissioners recently raised the transportation development tax to 6 percent, since it’s now considered a High Impact Tourism county in Florida.
“With so much to offer visitors, whether they’re leisure travelers or meeting attendees, Hillsborough County is taking its place as a key player in tourism in Florida and the U.S.,” Santiago C. Corrada, president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, said in a statement. “Every day, Tampa Bay’s tourism industry builds on the growing strength of our brand and our reputation as the hip, urban heart of Florida’s west coast as we compete for visitors around the world.
“But hotel revenue is just part of the picture. No visitors stay in their hotel rooms all day. Every room night represents additional money spent in our restaurants, retail stores, attractions and breweries. That adds up to 50,000 jobs and $6 billion reaching every corner of our community.”
Work and Relax
“The culture of the [Tampa] Bay Area is rich and inviting,” says Tara Liaschenko, CMM (MPI Tampa Bay Area Chapter), creative executive officer for The Link, a St. Petersburg-based meeting and event company. “Tampa’s a great destination that has fun, sun and sand. It’s an excellent location to get business done and relax in your down time.”
For example, the sugar sand Gulf Coast beaches are among the most highly rated, year after year, by visitors.
“For those who prefer a city vibe, downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg have a multitude of options—from museums to sporting arenas, a variety of unique venues and neighborhoods,” says Sherry Colodny (MPI Tampa Bay Area Chapter) of SSMeetings. “Don’t forget Busch Gardens, Florida Aquarium, Sparkman Wharf and Beach Drive in St. Pete.”
The Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has also become quite the foodie destination, Colodny says.
A few of the new restaurants opening will be found at the Tampa Convention Center. As part of a $30 million expansion that will feature 18 new, waterfront meeting rooms (totaling 16,000 square feet) and updated facilities, the venue will add new restaurants that appeal to groups, such as Datz Restaurant, Big Ray’s Fish Camp and Harpoon Harry’s.
Big Ray’s Fish Camp, for example, will be part of a reimagination of The Sail Plaza at the convention center. Its full-service kitchen will join the venue’s 360-degree waterfront bar, and the space will offer an expanded seating area, a ramp system to guide pedestrian traffic and enhanced outdoor event capabilities along the Tampa Riverwalk. Completion was expected last month.
New Hotels
The 17-story Hyatt Place/Hyatt House will offer 4,000 square feet of meeting space and 345 guest rooms when it opens in fall 2020 two blocks from the Riverwalk. Its development speaks to the demand for more meeting hotels.
“Tampa has hosted multiple Super Bowls and the 2012 Republican National Convention—all of which have propelled positive future growth in meetings being held in the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater area,” Colodny says.
One of the highly anticipated openings is the 519-room JW Marriott Tampa. Opening in fall 2020 and located near the Tampa Convention Center and Amalie Arena, the 26-story hotel will feature 126,000 square feet of meeting space and the city’s highest rooftop bar.
In the Water Street Tampa district, the five-star, 173-room Tampa EDITION hotel will open in spring 2021 with a high-end restaurant, retail space and a rooftop bar.
The 176-room, boutique Aparium Hotel Ybor City debuts in spring 2020, and the former Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore was completely renovated and is now known as Hotel Alba Tampa, offering 222 guest rooms and 9,000 square feet of meeting space two miles from Tampa International Airport.
Increased Flights
The Tampa International Airport is definitely a major consideration for planners when booking a meeting or event, Colodny says.
“It is one of the country’s highest-rated airports by passengers,” she says. “It is also attracting more airlines and flights, both domestic and international.”
Norwegian Airlines, for example, began service from Tampa Bay to London Gatwick late last year, making it the seventh international carrier at the airport. And in spring 2019, Delta Air Lines began daily nonstop service from Tampa Bay to Amsterdam.
“Tampa has been ever evolving since I started [my] company 15 years ago,” Liaschenko says. “I only see this continuing as it further enhances itself as a destination for all meetings and events.”
