Visit Tampa Bay celebrates its 40th anniversary with record revenue and new leadership
The organization commemorated four decades of tourism promotion during its annual meeting at the Asturian Center in Tampa, highlighting a new cycle of growth under the presidency of Pam Barber and an unprecedented economic balance for Hillsborough County
Visit Tampa Bay celebrated its 40th anniversary with its Annual Meeting, themed “Back to the Bay.” The gathering brought together more than 500 members and local officials at the Asturian Center of Tampa to review past achievements and introduce the new members of the Board of Directors and Advisory Council.
The event took place against a backdrop of sustained growth for the destination, following three consecutive years in which Hillsborough County surpassed $1 billion in taxable hotel revenue. During the ceremony, Pam Barber, president and CEO of MOR-TV, assumed the chairmanship of the board, succeeding Evette Torres of the Schulte Hospitality Group.
Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO Santiago C. Corrada praised Torres's work and celebrated Barber's leadership as he guides the organization into its fifth decade. He also highlighted that the county just closed its most successful tourism year ever, with over $1.2 billion in hotel revenue.
The annual meeting also served as a platform to celebrate the 40-year history of Visit Tampa Bay, founded in 1985 as the Tampa Hillsborough County Visitors Bureau. Since then, the organization has established itself as the county's leading Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), coordinating efforts among the public sector, tour operators, and thousands of industry workers.
Among those in attendance were Commissioner Ken Hagan and a record number of dignitaries and industry representatives. During the assembly, the new members of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Council for the 2025–2026 term were ratified. They will support Barber in the strategic planning for the coming years.
With this leadership change, Visit Tampa Bay begins a new chapter focused on building on its recent achievements and attracting visitors on a large scale. In 2024, more than 28.2 million tourists generated an economic impact of $9.4 billion, figures that reflect the destination's strength as one of the most competitive in Florida.
At the close of the event, Corrada stated that the success achieved was the result of the collaborative work of the authorities, the commitment of the more than 61,000 workers in the tourism sector, and the support of nearly 1,000 partners. He also reaffirmed the goal of continuing to position Tampa Bay as a leading international destination.
“We are not only celebrating last year’s achievements,” Corrada noted, “but also 40 years of driving Tampa Bay’s progress together and showing the world the treasure that distinguishes us as a destination.”