Pinellas County’s bed tax collections have declined for two consecutive months, with lingering hotel and vacation rental closures identified as a key factor, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC).

Several hotels and short-term rentals damaged in last year’s hurricanes remain closed, particularly in southern Pinellas. Eddie Kirsch, VSPC’s director of digital and data, said most of the shortfall is linked to properties in St. Pete Beach, Madeira Beach, and Treasure Island.

In St. Pete Beach, four major hotels—the Postcard Inn, the Beachcomber, the Bellwether, and the Dolphin Resort—remain closed. VSPC data shows 704 rooms in the city are unavailable, leaving only 66% of hotels in operation. The Beachcomber is scheduled to reopen on October 30 after completing repairs, while the Bellwether is not expected to reopen until 2026 due to extensive hurricane damage.

At an August meeting of the Tourist Development Council, officials reported that June 2025 tourist development tax collections were just under $7.5 million, down 12.2% compared to the same month in previous years. July collections fell 9.8% year-over-year, with the fiscal year-to-date total down 5.46%.

Despite the declines, some areas of the county have recorded strong performance. Clearwater, Dunedin, and St. Petersburg reported solid tourism activity, with Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector noting the city invested $85 million in recovery efforts. Overall, 94.8% of hotel rooms in the county are open, VSPC reported.

Local businesses in southern Pinellas continue to feel the impact of reduced lodging capacity. Charlie Justice, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, said the closures have lowered foot traffic for surrounding businesses. He encouraged residents to visit the beach communities to help support recovery efforts.

Some businesses are still seeing growth despite the challenges. Dylan Hubbard, owner of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass in Madeira Beach, said June was the best month on record for his operation, though he acknowledged neighboring communities are still struggling to recover.

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(Image credit: The Business Journals)

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