Tourism booms in June

The summer months generally bring a lull in tourism for Sarasota County, but bed taxes collected in June show the hottest season of the year began with a sizzle.

According to data provided by the Sarasota County Tax Collector, Sarasota County wrangled $1,039,698 in taxes on short-term rental properties, which analysts use as a proxy for the tourism industry. That’s a 17% increase over June 2012, and the largest year-over-year growth since the monster month of March, in which the county recorded more than $2.5 million in tourist development taxes.

The 15.5% jump in tax collections from May to June this year is the greatest increase in the last three years. The month-to-month change increases each year since a slight decrease in 2010, which could signal the heavy drop in tourism activity that follows “the season” is beginning to smooth.

Tourist development taxes fund Sarasota County seaweed removal, which has yielded more than 200 tons of the marine plant life since July 1, according to a county news release.