Tampa, St. Pete at prime of 2020 vacation destinations

TAMPA, Fla. – There’s a shiny location to stop 2020 soon after a hospitality report observed this year’s busiest travel location was Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay’s tourism endured massive blows simply because of the pandemic, but the area’s bouncing back again.

Men and women booked a lot more motels in Tampa and St. Pete this yr than any other prime desired destination in the nation. A report of the year’s traits from hospitality firm STR discovered an average of 51% of lodges occupied in the place from January to November. 

Tampa tourism gurus hope individuals figures to maintain in December.

Inns are just a single part of gauging the pulse of tourism. Through the pandemic, community leaders pushed out Tampa and St. Pete as safe outdoor destinations to visit.

Visit Tampa Bay president and CEO Santiago Corrada claimed he believes that assisted out alongside with Florida’s quick reopening.

“It positions us very well since for Forbes to discuss about Tampa/St. Pete staying the variety 1 travel destination in 2020 even with what’s gone on, I feel it is a feather in our cap and something we will need to capitalize and carry on to mature,” stated Corrada.

Even though tourism leaders are happy to be prime of the list, the figures are nowhere close to wherever they the moment were ahead of the pandemic.

“We’re nevertheless much from the place we know we’re number a person mainly because we’re still off by 20 p.c in occupancy and most likely about 40 percent in earnings,” stated Corrada. “We want to defeat where by we ended up prior to. We’re not worried about any one else.”

Tourism leaders said they hope the forthcoming Super Bowl, conventions and demonstrates will maintain pushing recovery in the ideal path.

Corrada claimed he thinks the vaccine rollout will assistance give individuals even additional confidence to journey in 2021.