The shortest month delivered bigger dollars for tourism, showing a rebound from the 2024 storms and their aftermath.
The Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office April 1 released February collection numbers for the tourist development tax, or bed tax — the 6% tax collected on overnight accommodations of six months or less.
The month generated $3,951,356 in tax revenues.
The amount is 11.73% higher than the $3,536,640 collected in February 2025.
Holmes Beach topped collections on Anna Maria Island in February, generating $796,850, about 20.17% of the countywide total.
Anna Maria accounted for about 13% of collections, bringing in $513,751.
In Bradenton Beach, the February tax amounted to $176,904 or 4.48% of the total.
Some other numbers for February:
- Unincorporated Manatee County generated $1,661,775 or 42.05%.
- Bradenton generated $334,256 or 8.46%;
- Longboat Key generated $367,608 or 9.3%;
- Palmetto generated $100,482, which was 2.54% of the total.
The collection fee or commission on the tax is 3%, so the net collection in February was $3,832,815.
For the first five months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, the gross tourist tax totaled $13,123,886.
To date this fiscal year, every month’s collection has been up compared to the last fiscal year, with the largest increase in collections — 36.7% — reported in November.
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.
February tourist tax collections
February 2021: $1,928,629
February 2022: $2,954,355
February 2023: $3,218,684
February 2024: $3,290,496
February 2025: $3,536,640
February 2026: $3,951,356
Source: Manatee County Tax Collector