The shortest month delivered big dollars for tourism.
The Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office April 1 released February collection numbers for the tourist development or bed tax — the 5% tax collected on overnight accommodations of six months or less.
The month generated $3,290,496 in tax revenues.
The amount is 2.23% higher than the $3,218,684 collected in February 2023. Also, February 2024 is the first month of the 2023-24 fiscal year logging an increase over 2022-23.
Holmes Beach topped collections on Anna Maria Island in February, generating $713,049, about 21.67% of the countywide total.
Anna Maria accounted for about 11.68% of collections, bringing in $384,275, and Bradenton Beach generated $159,866 or 4.86%.
Some other numbers for February:
- Unincorporated Manatee County generated $1,373,059 or 41.73%;
- Bradenton generated $348,927 or 10.6%;
- Longboat Key generated $301,529 or 9.16%;
- Palmetto generated $9,828 or 0.3%.
The collection fee or commission on the tax is 3%, so the net collection for the Manatee County Tourist Development Council in February was $3,191,781.
For the first five months of the 2023-24 fiscal year, the gross tourist tax totaled $11,353,369.
February’s collection is the largest for a month this fiscal year.
State law requires that resort tax revenues be used to boost and develop tourism.
In Manatee County, the tax money is used to fund the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Bradenton Area Convention Center, as well as tourism-related entities such as Realize Bradenton and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Funding also supports tourism-related projects such as beach renourishment, construction of the Anna Maria City Pier and, this year, the water taxi operating between Bradenton and AMI.
The Manatee County Tourist Development Council recommends how to spend the money to the county commission.
The March numbers will be released in early May.
The TDC will meet at 9 a.m. April 15, at the county building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
February tourist tax collections
February 2020: $2,114,161
February 2021: $1,928,629
February 2022: $2,954,355
February 2023: $3,218,684
February 2024: $3,290,496
Source: Manatee County Tax Collector