TAMPA — The Tampa Bay area has a bevy of aromas, good and bad. Ybor City’s Seventh Avenue boasts the scents of cigars and coffee and Pinellas County’s beaches smell of salt water. Locals likely recognize the stench of red tide a mile away, sometimes literally, or the damp odor that warns of a coming summer storm. But now, Tampa Bay has an official signature scent, well, at least according to .
Hillsborough County civic leaders gathered at the West Tampa Community Resource Center to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday on Monday with commemorations, but also a big announcement. Not only did they observe the 158th anniversary of what many consider the true end of slavery, but they also welcomed news that Hillsborough has taken a step closer to properly recognizing its own Black history. .
In 2019, tourism generated 6.9 billion dollars, according to Visit Tampa Bay. And in 2020, more than $24.5 million came here the top draw for most beautiful beaches.