Economic impact report 'bittersweet' for destination marketing agency leader

A new report issued by analysis firm Tourism Economics rubs salt in the wounds of Tampa Bay’s reeling tourism and hospitality industry, which, just like in so many other parts of Florida, has mostly ground to a halt because of the COVID-19 crisis. 

The report — commissioned by Visit Tampa Bay, a destination marketing agency for Tampa and Hillsborough County — reveals the county’s tourism revenues grew by 67% over the past decade, led by the food and beverage sector, where sales rose $1.2 billion, or 28%. Hotel occupancy, revenue and employment also surged thanks to visitation that peaked with a record 24.5 million travelers coming to the area in 2019. All told, tourism added $6.9 billion into the Hillsborough County economy in 2019, a release for the report states.