'Bed Tax' Revenues Climb in Pinellas County

Be it the beautiful beaches, family friendly attractions or "one tank" get-a-ways, Pinellas County is fast becoming a vacation destination, now more than ever.

April tourist development tax collections, also known as the "bed tax", totaled more than $3 million dollars, an 8 percent increase from 2011. It's the highest April amount since the tax collector's office started collecting the tax in 1990, according to Pinellas County Tax Collector Diane Nelson.

“Coming off a record-breaking March, it’s great news for Pinellas County that our numbers continue to climb,” Nelson said. “It’s certainly a sign that our local tourism industry is having a strong year so far.”

That all-time record-breaking March resulted in the collection of $4.5 million dollars in revenue.

The tourist development tax is a 5 percent tax – known as the “bed tax” – required by Florida law on accommodations rented for six months or less. The TD tax produces close to $25 million each year in Pinellas County, used mainly for tourism marketing by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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