Hotels still feel chill from fewer tourists

Hotelier Walter Banks sees a torpid performance for his Lago Mar resort near Fort Lauderdale, and he said tourism will lag until the first quarter of next year. Though there are many new, cheaper or more aggressively marketed hotels in Broward County, vacationers still aren’t spending money — or are spending less time on vacation, said Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. She forecasts an upturn within 18 months.