TAMPA, Fla. — Visit Tampa Bay isn’t speculating on the economic impact of this years Reliaquest Bowl between Illinois and Mississippi State, however thousands are expected in town for the teams in a boost to Tampa’s already booming tourism industry.
“We know those fans are going to come to town," said Santiago Corrada, CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. "They are not just going to go to the bowl game. They are going to visit our attractions. They are going to go out for dinner. They'll are going to go out shopping. They are going to enjoy our Riverwalk.
What You Need To Know
- Thusands of fans in town for Reliaquest Bowl
- Illinois takes on Mississippi State Jan. 2 at noon at Raymond James Stadium
- Visit Tampa Bay says the game has a definite impact
"So the economic impact is farther than just staying at a hotel."
For the past 16 months, Tampa has been riding record hotel occupancy numbers, and in the new year that wave is expected to get higher.
Tampa’s Convention Center will host a record number of conventions in 2023.
Visit Tampa Bay says the bowl games to cap the year in Tampa are a big piece to the overall success of the tourism industry.
“We are talking about leisure travelers and tourists. We are talking about business meetings, conventions, events. We are talking about sports. We are talking about traffic at the airport. We are talking about the cruise business. We are talking about how well our restaurants do, our attractions. When all those pieces are in the puzzle, you have a picture of tourism,” Corrada said.
Right now, that puzzle is looking very strong.
Tampa Bay’s tourism industry currently makes up more than 7 percent of Hillsborough County's entire workforce.