ORLANDO, Fla. – Tourism tax collections in Orange County fell in October year-over-year as hotel occupancy slipped, according to new reports by the county comptroller and Visit Orlando.
Comptroller Phil Diamond said the county collected $29,400,100 in tourist development taxes in October, down 6.4% compared to what was collected in October 2022.
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Tourism development taxes are charged on bookings of hotels and other lodgings. The county adds the 6% tax onto lodging bills.
According to Visit Orlando, hotel occupancy in October averaged 70.6%, down 10% from the same time last year. The cost of an average night in a hotel was $189.24, which was essentially flat compared to 2022.
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Diamond said this was the sixth month out of seven that monthly TDT collections saw a year-over-year decrease.
However, the county did collect more TDT money in October 2023 than in September 2023, by about $4.8 million.
By state law, tourism development tax funds must be used toward the promotion of tourism for a county and on tourism-related facilities, such as the Orange County Convention Center.
Officials at Visit Orlando, which promotes tourism for the county, say that hotel bookings for the holidays are pacing higher from 2022 levels, and they are already seeing higher advanced bookings for 2024.
The TDT report in January will have collection figures for November.
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