Ft Lauderdale Starts 2006 with Strong Tourism Numbers
FT LAUDERDALE, FL, March 9, 2006. Greater Fort Lauderdale began 2006 on a high note, with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau reporting record-breaking tourism numbers across the board in January. Bed Tax collections, average daily rate (ADR), and hotel occupancy reached historic levels for the month of January.
Among the record-breaking tourism indicators, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau reported that its bed tax collections swelled by $694,326.62 - an amazing 18.77% increase - to $4,393,669.22. January's ADR soared to $131.75, an impressive 12.9% increase from last January's then-record $114.79. Hotel occupancy shot up 2.5% to 82%, breaking the previous January in 2005.
Several large conferences and events contributed to Greater Fort Lauderdale's high tourism numbers for January, typically one of the destination's strongest months. These included the National Championship FedEx Orange Bowl on January 4, 2005, the International Congress for School Effectiveness & Improvement January 3-6, and Florida Huddle, a state-wide travel marketing showcase, January 29-31.
"Each year the peak in Greater Fort Lauderdale's peak season climbs higher," said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We're especially pleased with these tourism numbers because, in our prime fly markets throughout the Northeast, this past January was unseasonably warm. Winter finally caught up to them in February, giving Northerners all the more reason to visit our wonderful, warm-weather destination. This gives us high expectations for February's tourism indicators as well."
For more information, contact the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, 100 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, visit www.sunny.org or call 800-22-SUNNY (in the U.S. and Canada.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
