Visit Tampa Bay celebrates its 40th anniversary at its Annual Meeting with new leadership and historic results

Visit Tampa Bay celebrated its 40th anniversary during its Annual Meeting, held at Tampa's historic Asturian Center under the theme "Back to the Bay." The meeting followed a third consecutive year in which Hillsborough County surpassed $1 billion in taxable hotel revenue, reaffirming the strength of the local tourism sector and its growing economic impact.

During the ceremony, new members were formally appointed to the Board of Directors and the Advisory Council, with Pam Barber assuming the role of Chair of the Board. Barber, President and CEO of MOR-TV, succeeds Evette Torres of Schulte Hospitality Group, who had served as Chair since October of the previous year. Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, highlighted Torres's work and her role in the continued growth of the sector. With this new leadership, a new phase begins, focused on strengthening the destination's competitiveness in a dynamic global tourism landscape.

The event also paid tribute to the origins of Visit Tampa Bay. Founded in 1985 as the Tampa Hillsborough County Visitors Bureau, the organization evolved into the county's official tourism promotion agency. For four decades, it has worked alongside government officials, local businesses, and thousands of industry professionals to drive economic development by promoting the destination.

More than 500 community representatives, including county commissioners, elected officials, and strategic partners, participated in the celebration and the formal appointment process for the new Board and Advisory Council members for the 2025-2026 term. The appointments include leaders from the hospitality, food service, academic, and business industries, who will bring experience and strategic vision to the sector's growth.

With the start of the new fiscal year, Tampa Bay's tourism industry is preparing to build on the results achieved in 2023, when the region welcomed more than 28.2 million visitors and generated an economic impact of $9.4 billion. Officials highlighted the role of industry workers, institutional partners, and the nearly 1,000 members of Visit Tampa Bay, whose collaborative efforts continue to position the destination as one of the most attractive in the country.