South Florida is poised for another record year
in tourism in 2013, fueled by gains in international visitors, travel
executives predict.
But challenges also loom, including a potential
drag on U.S. travel if Washington goes off the fiscal cliff and possible
cutback in tourism spending by U.S. northeast residents hit by Superstorm
Sandy.
In 2012, South Florida hosted record numbers of
visitors who spent more than ever, led by growth in tourism powerhouse
Miami-Dade County.
Broward County hit a new
high for the budget year: 12 million visitors who spent $9.8 billion, up about
9 percent, thanks largely to surging arrivals from South America. And Palm Beach
County hotels were poised to finish the year about 68 percent full,
up by 3 points, aided mainly by recovery in the U.S. economy and business
travel.
Also spurring tourism: a rebound in real-estate
prices and credit. That's reviving the market for new hotels that had stalled
with recession. At least two new hotels are slated to open in Broward in 2013:
the 105-unit Hampton Inn & Suites in Coconut Creek and the 219-room
oceanfront Marriott Pompano Beach. And construction could finally begin on the
long-awaited 349-room Margaritaville resort on Hollywood beach, pending final
approval for $75 million in funding from Starwood Capital, developers said.
"I think international arrivals will be
the main driver for growth in 2013 because of new flights to South
Florida," said Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale
Convention and Visitors Bureau. "And the U.S. dollar remains cheap
compared to other currencies, which makes it easier for visitors to come here
and to buy when they're here."
Several airlines including JetBlue and Spirit
have added service to Latin America and the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale. And
American Airlines is beefing up its already huge Latin American hub in Miami,
even expanding to new cities in Brazil, the No. 1 source of overseas travelers
to Florida, the airports said.
To tap growing South American business,
Broward's tourism bureau plans to hire its first representative company in
Brazil this budget year. And Palm Beach
County's tourism bureau is exploring the possibility of hiring a
marketing rep there too, said Jorge Pesquera, president of the Palm Beach
County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
South Florida hotels also are reaching out to
lure more international guests. The 240-unit B Ocean Fort Lauderdale beach
resort is translating its website into Spanish and Portuguese, said general
manager Eduardo Fernandez. B Ocean finished 2012, its second year in
business, about 68 percent full at average rates topping $150 a night. It
targets growth of about 15 percent in its third year of business, with help
from aggressive marketing on the Internet and through mobile applications, said
Fernandez.
Port Everglades also is benefiting from
international visitors on cruises. It expects about 3.6 million passengers on
multi-day cruises in the year ending Sept. 30, about flat from a year ago.
Business is aided by $54 million in cruise terminal upgrades, port officials
said.
Still, there are challenges. In Broward County, the
largest annual convention held for years in the city finished up in Lauderdale
in 2012, seeking a larger convention center with an adjoining hotel. Both the
county's tourism bureau and individual hotels now are working to fill that gap
with other groups. The bureau is targeting more gay, black and multi-cultural
conferences and events, building on strengths in the resident community, said
Grossman.
No one knows how much fallout from Sandy
may cut into travel plans from residents in the U.S. northeast, traditionally
the top market for winter visitors to South Florida.
"The storm in New York-New Jersey has
softened our most important market a little bit, so that's a concern,"
conceded Palm Beach
County's Pesquera.
And then, there's the big unknown: whether
politicians in Washington will send the country over the fiscal cliff – with
tax increases and spending cuts – or for how long.
"Every business in the United States needs
to be concerned about that," said Grossman. "People are going to
mange their wallets based on what Washington does."
On Monday , Priceline.com released its 9th
annual list of the Top 50 destinations for ringing in the New Year
. Florida destinations took 12
spots on the list, while major theme park destinations in the Sunshine State
and southern California appeared on the list seven times. Priceline.com's
top destinations list is based on thousands of hotel booking requests made by
customers for the days around New Year's Eve. Here's how the Florida
destinations ranked:
. Florida destinations took 12
spots on the list, while major theme park destinations in the Sunshine State
and southern California appeared on the list seven times. Priceline.com's
top destinations list is based on thousands of hotel booking requests made by
customers for the days around New Year's Eve. Here's how the Florida
destinations ranked:
No. 7: Orlando/Downtown Disney/Lake Buena Vista
No. 8: Miami, Downtown
No. 14, Orlando, Kissimmee
No. 24, Orlando, Downtown
No. 30, Orlando/Sea World/International
Drive/Convention Center
No. 34: Orlando Universal Resort
No. 35: Key West
No. 41: Miami South Beach/Central
No. 43: Miami South Beach/Collins/Oceanfront
No. 46: Ft. Lauderdale Beach area
No. 47: Miami Beach
No. 49: Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood.
Source: PR Newswire, Sun Sentinel, By Doreen Hemlock and Arlene
Satchell.
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