2013 Was a Good Year for South Florida Hotels with a Rise in Both Occupancy and Room Rates

Jan. 21–South Florida hotels closed out 2013 with fewer empty rooms and higher prices, buoyed by increases in international visitors, sports tourism and leisure business.

In Broward County, hotel occupancy reached 71 percent last month, compared with 74.3 percent in December 2012, according to data released by industry tracker Smith Travel Research. The average daily rate for rooms was $124.87, up from $116.60 in December 2012, a sign of strength in the industry.

Palm Beach County hotels were 71 percent occupied in December versus 66.5 percent a year before, while average rates climbed to $162.29 from $150.81, Smith Travel data showed.

“The year end was outstanding,” said William Murray, president of the Palm Beach County Hotel and Lodging Association and general manager for two area hotels, including the Hawthorn Suites Hotel West Palm Beach.

“Occupancy came back in 2013 [overall], and rate is going to be the goal in 2014,” Murray said.

For the full year, Broward hotels posted 74.7 percent occupancy and average daily rates of $119.33. That compared with 72.4 percent occupancy and an average daily rate of $114.59 in 2012.

Palm Beach County hotels had 71.6 percent occupancy for the full year and an average daily rate of $145.84. By comparison, Palm Beach county inns were 67.4 percent full in 2012, with average rates of $140.92.

Broward tourism officials expect visits in 2014 to exceed last year’s record 13.1 million travelers. The county’s tourism bureau kicked off its “The Beach Looks Good on You” campaign Jan. 6 in New York with a custom-designed, heated bus shelter near Grand Central Terminal for residents to warm themselves during a month-long run.

Palm Beach County counterparts forecast more than 6 million visitors this year.

The influx of visitors is good for other businesses as well.

The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is upbeat about 2014. Last year, the zoo narrowly missed breaking an attendance record set in 2011.

“We were just 725 guests short of our goal,” said Claudia A. Harden, marketing manager. “This was in no small part due to the increase in our out-of-county and out-of-state attendance figures.

“We are looking to continue on this positive attendance trend and increase our attendance between 15,000 guests this year.”

asatchell@tribune.com, 954-356-4209 or Twitter@TheSatchreport.