Visit Tampa Bay
Visit Tampa Bay is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) destination marketing organization for Hillsborough County, Florida, accredited by Destinations International. It markets the destination to leisure travelers, convention planners, and travel trade professionals, funded primarily by Tourism Development Tax collections and over 1,000 local business partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersTompa, Hungary
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Visit Tampa Bay does
Visit Tampa Bay is a not-for-profit, private 501(c)(6) corporation operating as the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Hillsborough County, Florida. Founded in 1985 as the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, it markets the destination to three primary constituents: leisure travelers (domestic and international), meeting and convention planners, and travel trade professionals. It holds accreditation under Destinations International's Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) and operates a multi-channel marketing stack spanning Connected TV, paid social, out-of-home advertising, public relations, content marketing, and travel trade programs. Three operating subsidiaries — Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Film Tampa Bay (Tampa Hillsborough Film & Digital Media Commission), and Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol Office — extend the franchise into sports tourism, film production facilitation, and international trade diplomacy.
The organization's revenue model is structurally distinct from a commercial enterprise: it is funded primarily by Hillsborough County's Tourism Development Tax (bed tax) collected on overnight hotel and short-term rental stays, supplemented by partnership fees paid by over 1,000 local businesses (hotels, restaurants, attractions, venues) that receive convention leads, business listings, and co-marketing benefits via the SimpleView CRM-powered partner extranet. Commercial activity at its physical Unlock Tampa Bay Visitors Center (downtown Tampa) generates modest retail revenue. The organization's own financial figures are not publicly disclosed in available inputs, but the tourism ecosystem it stewards supports $6.0 billion in annual visitor spending, $9.5 billion in total economic impact, 61,667 jobs, and $691 million in state and local tax revenue.
Operationally, Visit Tampa Bay is led by President & CEO Santiago C. Corrada with a C-suite spanning COO (JoLynn Lokey), CMO (Patrick Harrison), CSO (Adam DePiro), plus VPs of Finance, Marketing, Global Sales, Multicultural Sales, and Destination Services. The team supports a network of National Account Directors across U.S. regions, Global Leisure Sales, Convention Sales, and Partnership functions. Technology dependencies include SimpleView CRM (partner extranet), Mailchimp (email), PayPal (payments), and integrations with Tiqets, OpenTable, and Blackbaud for partner ticketing and reservations. International expansion is signaled through a Brentford FC Premier League partnership, NYCFC sponsorship, and Official Destination Sponsorship of the 2026 London Art Fair.
Visit Tampa Bay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Visit Tampa Bay
- Legal name
- Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, D.B.A. Visit Tampa Bay
- Website
- https://visittampabay.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Visit Tampa Bay is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) destination marketing organization for Hillsborough County, Florida, accredited by Destinations International. It markets the destination to leisure travelers, convention planners, and travel trade professionals, funded primarily by Tourism Development Tax collections and over 1,000 local business partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Visit Tampa Bay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Destination Marketing Services
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inbound DMCs (Full-Service Ground Handling) (THAKAEAA)
Keywords
Where Visit Tampa Bay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tompa
- HQ country
- Hungary
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Visit Tampa Bay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tourism Development Tax: Funded by Tourism Development Tax (TDT) collections paid by overnight visitors staying in hotels and short-term rentals in Hillsborough County. These bed tax revenues support destination marketing, advertising, sales efforts, and partnership programs.
- Partnership Programs: Local businesses pay partnership fees to join Visit Tampa Bay's partner program, receiving benefits including business listings, convention leads, networking events, and marketing exposure through the organization's multi-million dollar advertising campaigns.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Visit Tampa Bay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Visit Tampa Bay is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Hillsborough County, Florida. It markets Tampa Bay as a leisure and meetings destination through advertising campaigns, convention sales, leisure sales, and a network of more than 1,000 local business partners, supported by an on-site visitor center and partner extranet. It is funded primarily by Tourism Development Tax (bed tax) collections from overnight visitors, supplemented by partnership membership fees.
Product overview
Visit Tampa Bay is a not-for-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) accredited by Destinations International's Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of tourism marketing services including destination promotion campaigns, a partner extranet portal powered by SimpleView CRM, physical visitor center operations, and specialized services through affiliated programs including Film Tampa Bay (film commission), Tampa Bay Sports Commission (sports tourism), and Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol Office (diplomatic trade). The organization supports the tourism ecosystem through research, media familiarization tours, convention sales, leisure sales, event promotion, and partner relationship management, all funded by Tourism Development Tax collections from overnight visitors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tourism Marketing Services Core destination marketing services that promote Tampa Bay as a premier leisure and meetings destination through advertising campaigns, public relations, and sales efforts targeting out-of-state and international travelers.
- Unlock Tampa Bay Visitors Center Physical visitor center and gift shop at 201 N. Franklin St. Suite 102, Tampa, offering insider trip information, Tampa Riverwalk Attraction Passes for discounted admissions, and souvenirs from local artisans.
- Partner Extranet Portal Digital partner platform powered by SimpleView CRM that enables partners to manage business listings, access convention calendars, post events, update contacts, and receive RFPs and partner referrals.
- Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol Office Diplomatic trade facilitation service working with consuls, embassies, and trade commissioners to grow international investment and trade, managing outbound missions and sister-city relationships.
- Film Tampa Bay Film commission marketing Tampa Bay as a premier filming destination, assisting feature, television, and commercial productions with permitting, locations, crew, and vendor coordination.
- Tampa Bay Sports Commission Sports tourism organization bidding on and hosting premiere sports and entertainment events for the Tampa Bay area, working in partnership with Visit Tampa Bay.
- Destination Guide Fulfillment Mailing and digital fulfillment service providing destination guides and print materials to potential visitors upon request through an online form completion.
- Tourism Research & Statistics Research and statistical reports on tourism impact, visitor spending, and economic contributions available to the public and to partners.
- Media FAM Tours Familiarization tour program providing travel media with itinerary assistance and expense support to experience the destination for editorial coverage.
- Convention Sales Services Sales team managing convention and meeting leads, RFP distribution to hotel partners, bid presentations, and site visit coordination for corporate, association, government, and fraternal groups.
- Global Leisure Sales Sales team promoting Tampa Bay at domestic trade shows and consumer-facing events, conducting familiarization tours for travel professionals.
- Shop Tampa Gear (Visitor Center Gift Shop and Online Store) Retail merchandise offering Tampa Bay-branded souvenirs and local artisan gifts, available at the Unlock Tampa Bay Visitors Center (Suite 102) and through the online shop at shop.visittampabay.com.
Quantifiable outcome
- $6.0 billion in annual visitor spending and $9.5 billion total economic impact
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Visit Tampa Bay
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Visit Tampa Bay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability2 records
Visit Tampa Bay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- FKQ Advertising + MarketingcoreAgency of record developing comprehensive media plans including Connected TV, paid social, and out-of-home advertising campaigns. Developed the 'Go and You'll Know' brand platform.
- Disney (Connected TV)corePremium Connected TV advertising placement for high-impact reach in Tampa Bay's winter marketing campaign targeting out-of-state travelers.
- Adara Inc.coreTravel-intent data targeting partnership for Connected TV advertising to reach consumers actively researching Florida destinations.
- New York City FCcoreNYC FC announced Visit Tampa Bay as an Official Tourism Partner, creating cross-promotional opportunities to reach soccer fans and travelers in the New York market.
- London Art FaircoreVisit Tampa Bay served as Official Destination Sponsor for 2026 London Art Fair, with UK artist Rose Electra Harris debuting Tampa Bay-inspired artwork and custom activation promoting Tampa Bay to international art audiences.
- Brentford FCflagshipVisit Tampa Bay renewed its partnership as Brentford FC's North American Destination Partner for 2025/2026 Premier League season. The partnership includes marketing activations, fan festivals, and media campaigns to promote Tampa Bay to UK and international audiences.
- Tampa Bay Sports CommissionflagshipPrivate non-profit 501c3 serving as the lead organization for bidding and hosting premiere sports and entertainment events. Works in partnership with Visit Tampa Bay providing one-stop-shop for sports event planners.
- Film Tampa BaycoreTampa Hillsborough Film & Digital Media Commission markets Tampa Bay as a premier filming destination, helping boost marketing and economic development impact.
- Enterprise FloridacoreState economic development organization integral to Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol Office's success in growing international investment and trade.
- U.S. Department of CommercecoreFederal partner working with Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol Office and Visit Tampa Bay on international trade initiatives.
- Port Tampa BaycoreLargest port in the Southeast serving as pleasure and industrial port. Homeports 10 cruise vessels from Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Margaritaville at Sea, and Celebrity Cruises.
- Tampa International AirportcoreServing 25.2 million passengers with 24 airlines and 292 daily flights to 90 destinations. Ranked #2 Large Airport in North America for Traveler Satisfaction by JD Power.
- Over 1,000 Local Business PartnersflagshipHotels, restaurants, attractions, venues, and hospitality businesses receiving benefits including business listings, convention leads, RFPs, networking events, and marketing exposure through Visit Tampa Bay campaigns.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Visit Tampa Bay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Visit Las Vegas: Official DMO for Las Vegas. Comparable destination marketing organization running convention sales, leisure marketing, and partner programs funded by room tax on a major U.S. tourism market.
- Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board: Official DMO for Los Angeles. Comparable tax-supported destination marketing organization with parallel convention sales, global marketing, and partnership programs targeting leisure travelers and meeting planners.
- Destination DC: Official DMO for Washington, DC. Directly comparable as a tax-funded destination marketing organization driving leisure and convention visitation with similar partner extranet, convention sales, and international marketing functions.
- Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau: Official DMO for Miami and Miami Beach. Comparable tax-funded destination marketing organization focused on leisure and conventions in Florida, competing for the same international visitor base.
- Visit Denver: Official DMO for Denver. Comparable not-for-profit destination marketing organization running convention sales, leisure marketing, and partnership programs with a similar operating footprint.
- NYC & Company: Official DMO for New York City. Comparable in operating model—tax-supported destination marketing with convention sales, international outreach, and partnership programs—at a larger scale.
- Choose Chicago: Official DMO for Chicago. Comparable not-for-profit destination marketing organization driving leisure and meetings demand with similar convention sales and partner engagement functions.
- Visit Orlando: Official DMO for Orange County, Florida. Directly comparable as a tax-funded destination marketing organization promoting leisure and meetings visitation within the same Florida competitive set.
Broad incumbents
- Brand USA: National destination marketing organization for the United States. Comparable in marketing mandate to drive inbound international visitation, operating as a public-private partnership funded in part by federal and private contributions.
- Visit Florida: State-level Florida tourism marketing corporation. Comparable DMO mandate at a broader geographic scale, marketing the entire state and coordinating with regional DMOs like Visit Tampa Bay.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Visit Tampa Bay social profiles
Digital presenceVisit Tampa Bay compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Visit Tampa Bay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Visit Tampa Bay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Visit Tampa Bay subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Visit Tampa Bay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Visit Tampa Bay M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Visit Tampa Bay
What does Visit Tampa Bay do?
Visit Tampa Bay is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Hillsborough County, Florida. It markets Tampa Bay as a leisure and meetings destination through advertising campaigns, convention sales, leisure sales, and a network of more than 1,000 local business partners, supported by an on-site visitor center and partner extranet. It is funded primarily by Tourism Development Tax (bed tax) collections from overnight visitors, supplemented by partnership membership fees.
Is Visit Tampa Bay a public or private company?
Visit Tampa Bay is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Visit Tampa Bay founded?
Visit Tampa Bay was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Visit Tampa Bay based?
Visit Tampa Bay is headquartered in Tompa, Hungary, in the Europe region.
How does Visit Tampa Bay make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tourism Development Tax is the primary driver. The others are partnership Programs.
Who are Visit Tampa Bay's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Visit Las Vegas, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Destination DC, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Denver, NYC & Company, Choose Chicago and Visit Orlando. Broad incumbents are Brand USA and Visit Florida.
Does Visit Tampa Bay have an API?
No public API is recorded for Visit Tampa Bay.
What industry is Visit Tampa Bay in?
Visit Tampa Bay's product category is Destination Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKAEAA, Inbound DMCs (Full-Service Ground Handling). Its SIC code is 7900.