tourism

Local officials and tourism agencies say the best way you can help the region recover is by visiting and supporting local businesses.

When traveling to a city like New York, Atlanta or Los Angeles, a nonstop out of Tampa is a common option, but costly flights with layovers are the norm when going to or from smaller cities — but not anymore.

Street performers at the popular Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square in Key West can juggle knives or defy gravity with acrobatic stunts — but since a tourist suffered a burn in January, they can’t use fire in their acts until further notice. A full-time fire spinner is grappling with the fire shutdown, while others fear for the popular show's future.

Nearly the entire population of Tampa, Kansas visited Tampa, Florida this week.

Visit Florida estimates the state attracted 35 million travelers during the third quarter, a 6.9 percent increase from 2021. The estimate was also 8% above the same period of 2019, before the pandemic.

Unite Here Local 737 says an adult worker with no dependents would need to earn $18.19 an hour to make a living wage, while a family with two children would need both parents earning $23.91 an hour.

With the state drawing record numbers of tourists from other parts of the country as the industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young received an 8.6% pay boost.

Tampa’s hotel occupancy rate was at or near the top in the nation for the past two years, officials say.

Tourism revenue is up 7% more than before the pandemic.

Pinellas County had $9.8 million more in hotel tax collections compared to 2019; Hillsborough County was up $1.5 million.

Visit Florida reported the positive outlook as more people become vaccinated from the coronavirus and cruise ships resume sailing.

The partnership will allow students to train in hotel work at McKibbon properties like Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton.