Ft Lauderdale Setting Record Tourism Figures
GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, May 08, 2006. Greater Fort Lauderdale continued its record breaking growth during the first quarter of 2006, reaching highest-ever levels for occupancy, average daily rate (ADR) and bed tax collections.
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau reported that bed tax collections from January through March 2006 (March figures included are preliminary) totaled $14,439,763, an 11.3% increase from the same period in 2005 ($12,972,262). Average daily rate increased to $140.99, an impressive 15.8% jump from the first quarter of 2005. Hotel occupancy during the first quarter of 2006 reached 87.3%, a 0.5 percent increase over the same period in 2005, continuing a trend of record breaking economic indicators.
Greater Fort Lauderdale enjoyed a stellar year in 2005, welcoming more than 10 million visitors for the first time in the destination's history. Momentum from 2005 along with high profile events such as the popular King Tut exhibition, which made its debut at the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale in December 2005, combined with high group attendance at major conventions helped propel Greater Fort Lauderdale into 2006 in a big way.
"This is an excellent start to what we anticipate will be a big year for us," said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. "With the largest-ever attendance for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology convention and the 'Summer of Discovery' program kicking off, we are primed for big numbers across the board this year."
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