Foreign visitors help Miami-Dade hotels while Broward, Palm Beach struggle

Although Miami hotels showed slight rate increases from 2007 to 2008, Florida hotel occupancy rates dropped as much as 70 percent in some areas of the state. Smith Travel Research’s latest report attributed Miami-Dade’s pricing stability to foreign visitors, said Ginny Gutierrez, director of community relations for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. Corporate travel cutbacks hit surrounding areas hard — full-service Broward hotel occupancy fell to 65.9 percent in 2008 from 66.6 percent in 2007, and limited-service hotels fell to 65.5 percent in 2008 from 67.9 percent in 2007. Palm Beach County full-service hotel occupancy fell to 63.6 percent in 2008 from 66.7 percent in 2007. Limited-service hotels had the largest segment drop in the area, to 58.7 percent from 61.6 percent — a 4.8 percent slide.
 

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