Tourism tax dollars are up 3.5% year to date compared with last year, and if Charlotte County avoids hurricanes and gasoline prices decline, revenue for this fiscal year could surpass previous records, the county’s tourism director said.
Sean Doherty, head of the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau, said March set a record with just under $1.4 million in Tourist Development Tax revenue. The tax is a 5% charge on rentals of living quarters or accommodations for six months or less.
“So far this fiscal year, we’ve generated over $5 million,” he said.
Fiscal year 2024 was a record year, with the county generating $8.7 million. Tourism revenue saw a fairly modest dip in fiscal year 2025, when more than $8.3 million was collected in TDT revenue, Doherty said.
“If we can maintain our current trajectory, gas prices start to come down soon, and we have no disruptions from hurricanes, we’re confident we can exceed that $8.7 million record by the end of this fiscal year,” he said.
The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October 2024 led to the cancellation of the county’s two leading events — the Florida International Air Show and Englewood Beach Waterfest — which were scheduled for November. The fiscal year 2025 revenue decline reflected those cancellations.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, a longtime feature of the Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda Airport.
Waterfest and the air show are the county’s biggest revenue generators. Both bring in more than $5 million in economic impact, along with the highest number of out-of-area visitors and lodging room nights, Doherty said.
This year’s Englewood Beach Waterfest is scheduled for Oct. 8-11, and the Florida International Air Show, held at Punta Gorda Airport, is slated for Nov. 7-8.
Other events that attract out-of-area visitors include the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Nesbit Street, hosted by the Celtic Ray Public House. It is one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the region.
A Tampa Bay Rays spring training game at Charlotte Sports Park draws visitors to Port Charlotte. The annual season is a major contributor to tourism and lodging demand in Charlotte County.
The lighting of Fishermen’s Village, featuring more than 1 million lights and held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, also draws visitors from outside the area.
Baseball fans visit each spring to see the Tampa Bay Rays train at Charlotte Sports Park. The county also hosts a variety of sporting events and tournaments, including pickleball, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swimming and diving, martial arts, BMX and boxing.
Many of these tournaments span several days, with out-of-town visitors booking hotel rooms for the duration of their stay.
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