Tampa rebounded from pandemic faster than any city in the country, industry report says

TAMPA, Fla. - New numbers show that Tampa has rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic faster than any city in the country – in the tourism and convention business, according to an industry report. 

"They're saying that, compared to all the top 25 markets that are trying to recover from the pandemic from 2019-2020, we're number one," said Santiago Corrada, the president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, which promotes the area to potential visitors and as a site for conventions. 

He said the reasons for the success ranges from a hotel construction boom that never stopped during the pandemic to Florida staying relatively open for business to the iconic Tom Brady Superbowl, where a cold nation gripped by COVID saw a sunsplashed Tampa and a legendary boat parade.  

READ: Visitors spend almost $7 billion in 2022, Pinellas County breaking tourism records

"We got the attention of very credible organizations like Michelin, like Time Magazine, like some of these others that have named Tampa in a very positive way," said Corrada. 

He said for the first time ever, taxable hotel revenue in Hillsborough County was more than $1 billion in a fiscal year. It ended on September 30.

The new upscale restaurants in places like Water Street also help lure visitors and put money in the pockets of local hospitality workers.   

"It's very interesting how the dynamics have changed, because I remember a time when we weren't as popular," said Corrada. 

He knows it's not a sure thing that the boom will continue. The forces of a hurricane or a sharp economic downturn are unpredictable. But, when masks covered our faces and people waited in line for vaccines, who could have known the economic shot in the arm that Tampa would get during and after the pandemic.