- Jun 24
- 3 min read
Pinellas County’s tourism industry set multiple new benchmarks during the lucrative spring season. The resulting economic impact will extend far beyond local beaches and attractions.
Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC) announced on Monday that April’s surge in visitation poured a record-breaking $11.4 million into county coffers through bed taxes, a 6% surcharge on overnight stays. That marked the third time this year that monthly revenue has set a new milestone
Pinellas also broke its previous record, set in 2024, for the traditional “high season” that runs from February through April. County destinations attracted 4.7 million visitors and collected $36.16 million in bed taxes during the three-month period.
“There are a plethora of ways that our residents, in any community throughout Pinellas County, are benefiting from these visitors,” said Brian Lowack, CEO of VSPC. “They’re creating revenue that gets invested back into local services and projects that our residents rely on.”
The hospitality and tourism sector now accounts for one in every 10 jobs, Lowack said, and generates over $10 billion in annual economic impact. Many businesses could not stay afloat without millions of annual visitors keeping registers ringing, particularly as many residents are still recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Those hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, and attractions pay property taxes that fund government services and initiatives, Lowack explained. The county and its municipalities also use proceeds from the one-cent Penny for Pinellas sales tax to create affordable housing, upgrade infrastructure, and maintain parks - “things that our residents really rely on to enhance their quality of life,” he said.
Hospitality and tourism properties businesses contributed nearly $400 million in sales and property taxes last year. That saved each household in the county almost $2,000 in property taxes, Lowack said, a “pretty good deal for our residents.”
“Without question,” Lowack said when asked if tourism increases affordability for residents. “It’s almost common knowledge that Florida doesn’t have a state income tax because of tourism.”
VSPC annually dedicates $3 million in bed taxes to its Elite Event Funding program, which supports events that promote tourism, including St. Petersburg’s MLK Day Parade. “But perhaps most important to a resident, these are some of their favorite events that they get to go to and look forward to every year,” Lowack said.
County officials dedicate 60% of bed tax collections to marketing the destination through VSPC. The remaining 40% helps fund capital projects that attract visitors, such as a new Woodson African American Museum of Florida.
Lowack called tourism-driven benefits - jobs, tax relief, “world-class” attractions, community events, and renourished beaches - a “win-win for everyone.” He credited the record-breaking spring to a winning marketing formula.
Attracting more visitors bolsters bed tax revenue, which VSPC then reinvests in advertising campaigns and projects that promote tourism. The resulting cycle increases economic impacts and enhances the quality of life for residents, Lowack said.
“This is the way it’s supposed to work,” he added. “And this is the way it’s working.”
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