Funding by Those Who Wish They Lived Here

How big is the tourism economy in St. Pete-Clearwater?

• 15.8 million visitors traveled for work and leisure to St. Pete-Clearwater in 2023.
  • Supporting more than 1 out of 10 jobs locally.
• Visitors spent $6.6 billion.
  • $2.9 billion was spent in restaurants and retail.
• $419 million generated in tax revenue.
  • Saving the average resident more than $850 in taxes each year.

What taxes do Visitors pay?

• Visitors are charged a 6% tax on any short-term accommodation of six months or less. This is called the Tourist Development Tax (TDT)
  • This supports beach renourishment, capital projects, the arts and marketing the destination. In 2023 this amount was more than $96 million.
• Visitors pay sales tax on purchases while in the destination.
  • Visitors' high daily spending contributes a high amount of sales tax for the region. Close to $61 million was generated in 2023.
• $262 million paid in property taxes on lodging businesses.
  • These taxes help support county programs and services that don't generate revenue themselves.

Who is Visit St. Pete-Clearwater?

• Visit St. Pete-Clearwater is the official tourism marketing and marketing management organization for Pinellas County. 
  • We are part of Pinellas County government, funded by and using TDT funds to develop, enhance and promote sustainable tourism with a focus on leisure, meetings, sports and film, domestically and internationally.

Each year, about 5,000 intercept surveys are conducted. This data is put into the annual visitor profile report, which is shared on the partner site of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. Here's some information about the 2023 visitor profile:

• 15.8 million visitors to Pinellas County.
  • Visit St. Pete-Clearwater markets to visitors who spend the most.
  • This is the overnight visitor. Visitors in paid overnight lodging accounted for nearly 78% of direct visitor spending in 2023.
• $6.6 billion in direct visitor spending.
  • $1.9 billion was spent in restaurants
  • $1 billion was spent in retail
  • $591 million was spent on entertainment & sightseeing
• $3.4 billion spent on payroll in the hospitality industry
  • Supporting an estimated 104,538 jobs county-wide
• The average travel party spent $278 daily in 2023
  • $89 daily at restaurants
  • $50 on retail store purchases
  • $34 on entertainment and sightseeing
  • $492 daily per hotel-occupying travel party
• We have visitors from all over!
  • Top visitor locations in order include Florida, Ohio, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Georgia.