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On The Scene

On the Scene: Visit Tampa Bay’s 2023 Annual Meeting (PHOTOS)

| Jo-Lynn Brown

In true Phantom of the Opera style, 500 community stakeholders and industry partners gathered at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay to celebrate another year in Tampa Bay tourism and included the appointment of new board chair, board members and advisory board members. 

In 2023, Tampa Bay achieved its best fiscal year ever with more than $1.1 billion in taxable revenue and welcomed 26.7 million visitors to the destination, infusing $8.5 billion into the local economy. 

The increase in visitor spending also played a role in contributing more than $514 million in local and state tax revenue and created 57,571 jobs in the hospitality industry with an overall impact of $3 billion in wages.  

During the Annual Meeting, leadership was passed to Ray Mathews, of State Farm, who was elected by stakeholders as the new board chair, succeeding Raul Aguilera. Yvette Torres was appointed chair-elect. 

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