Orange County’s prodigious tourist-tax collections ended a record run of 14 months in June, Comptroller Phil Diamond said in a report released Tuesday.

Revenues totaled $33.5 million for the month, a strong performance but about $140,000 less than June 2025, according to the report from Diamond’s office, which tracks collections and spending of the Tourist Development Tax, a 6% surcharge on the cost of a hotel room, a home-sharing rental like AirBnb or VRBO or other short-term lodging option.

The end of the streak, which began in March 2025, comes as a mayoral task force hears pitches for uncommitted future TDT revenues.

Those appeals include a $975 million request to build a baseball stadium near SeaWorld, $750 million to expand the campus of the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts and $523 million for another expansion of the Orange County Convention Center. The group is to meet again Wednesday.

Also known as TDT, the tax collections generally are seen as a reliable health gauge of the tourism industry in Orange County.

Despite the June dip, collections remain on pace to shatter totals for a fiscal year and burst through a $400 million ceiling by Sept. 30, when fiscal year 2025-26 ends.

Total collections for the fiscal year, as of June 30, stood at $324.9 million, about $26 million ahead of last year’s record pace.

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Collection reports generally trail collections by about five weeks. The July report likely will be released the first week of September.

“June’s tourism performance showed a mix of positive and negative trends across key travel metrics,” said Casandra Matej, president & CEO of Visit Orlando, the TDT-funded marketing agency that promotes Orange County, its attractions, experiences and restaurants to U.S. and global travelers.

In metro Orlando, of which Orange County is a part, hotel occupancy rate dipped 4% from a year ago, room demand fell about 4.5% and the Average Daily Room Rate was $213.19, down 1.2% from a year ago.

Matej said the softer hotel performance may have been influenced by several factors, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, played at North American venues, which could have shifted some travel demand to host cities or caused some travelers to delay U.S. trips to save money. Miami was a host city, while Orlando enjoyed just a couple of preliminary matches in March.

Matej said June attendance at the Orange County Convention Center was up 19%.

Looking to the immediate future, hotel room demand in the Metro Orlando area through September is pacing ahead of last year.

The period includes the beginning of Halloween events, a key draw for tourists.

Matej said short-term advance rentals look strong with Orange County bookings up about 5% and room rates higher.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com