It seems like every holiday season, we all immerse in that time of reflection and are left wondering, “How did we get here already?”
While 2022 may have flown by, many exciting things happened over the past year. Businesses opened. Records were broken. Here are just a few highlights that Greater Tampa Bay has to be proud of.
Industry and Tourism
It was a big and expanding year for GTB. Several new hotels, restaurants and adventures opened in 2022. It is hard to keep track of all of the new sights and activities that continue to put GTB on the map for entertainment and tourism.
Speaking of hotels, taxable hotel revenue for Tampa Bay has reached over $895 million for the fiscal year, according to Visit Tampa Bay. Those numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels and represent a winning streak that will only continue.
This year, tourist development collections in Hillsborough County are shattering previous records as people flock to Florida. Tourist Development Tax collections within the first 11 months of the 2022 fiscal year have hit over $53 million. That is a 59% increase over the same period in 2021.
Health Care
Tampa General Hospital is once again ranked as the #1 hospital in Tampa Bay and is the third highest ranked in Florida by U.S. News & World Report for 2022-2023.
Tampa General continues to be named by USNWR as Tampa Bay’s top hospital and ranks as one of the nation’s top 50 hospitals in seven medical specialties. It is the only hospital in Florida ranked by U.S. News & World Report in either the top 50 nationally or among the top 10% of U.S. hospitals in all 12 data-driven specialties for 2022-2023.
Culture
The Tampa Museum of Art unveiled impressive plans for a $68 million expansion and redevelopment of its building and land on Curtis Hixon Park, adding about 51,000 square feet of new space to the existing 25,000-square-foot museum.
Education
Dozens of high schools in GTB were nationally ranked in this year’s U.S. News & World Report. Thousands of schools were evaluated and 75 schools in GTB are nationally ranked and recognized. Coming out on top was Plant High School.
New Year, New Highlights
As Greater Tampa Bay reflects on the past year, it is exciting to see what the future will bring. A new year will undoubtedly bring continued highlights, and GTB is ready to continue to thrive in 2023.
By Meredith Biesinger.
