Weak tourism hits South Florida hotels

High gas prices and decreases in corporate spending have cut down on South Florida’s tourism this year, leaving Miami-Dade with its lowest June increase in hotel room revenues in the past five years, and leaving Broward County with a decrease. Miami-Dade’s room rates increased 4 percent in June, while Broward had a 1 percent increase. Still, the weakness of the dollar has helped tourism and hospitality in the region – sales from British travel wholesalers were up 35 percent from a year ago in Broward County, its tourism bureau reported.