WELCOME TO TAMPA BAY

Tampa is the home of over 100 countries. Now, that’s DIVERSITY! With that diversity comes business savvy, an endless supply of global oportunity, and entrepreneurship. This perfect incubator of business talent provides the Tampa Bay region with a rich, expanding economy of untapped business resources, highly talented people from all over the globe which create the perfect business climate the business sector has seen.

The Tampa Bay region consists of the three contiguous metropolitan areas of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater; Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice; and Lakeland-Winter Haven in west central Florida. The region includes the seven counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.

The top industry super sectors in Tampa Bay are the services and retail trade. The top-growing sectors in are business and professional services, construction, and financial activities.

With a population of over 2.5 million people, Tampa Bay is the second largest metropolitan area in the fourth largest state in the nation. Located on Florida’s central west coast, the area boasts warm weather year-round. Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, home to the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and the Beaches, both rank in the top 25 metro areas for population, number of households, effective buying income and total retail sales. Tampa is the sixth fastest-growing city in the United States and ranks second in commercial real-estate growth.

Also located in the Tampa Bay Area is the MacDill Air Force Base, headquarters of U.S. Special Operations Forces and home of United States Central Command, which is responsible for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. The base has brought recent international events close to home.

The Port of Tampa, Florida’s largest seaport and the 12th largest port in the country, brings a growing international business presence to the region. The Port of Tampa creates a gateway to the Caribbean and it is strategically placed for trade to and from the Caribbean. Tampa Bay has a diverse population, with significant ties to Latin America, the Caribbean and increasing international business and cultural opportunities.