1616-26 Various Miami Beach a 1EH VIM zimra
1
Miami hotels ra
is ALOI
top20
among nations
Real estate firm says local industry No. 13 she's a aownto'
BY CLAUDIO MENDONCA and far above the national rate of s;c looks out over city, sea a
$92 and the state's$125.
Miami's lodging industry is be- Revenues from tourist taxes �� nethin gets
ing ranked by a hotel real estate were up from$1.2 million in Feb- q
firm as one of the nation's top 20 ruary 2004 to $1.5 million last
markets as local hotels outper- month. The county amassed because at 74 stories, there's nothing ab
form the national average. $4.15 million in convention taxes
Miami is ranked 13th in num- in February versus$3.3 million a
ber of hotel rooms in the survey, year ago.
which considers daily room rates, "Miami has well-recovered
revenues and occupancy.Miami- from the post-9/11 period,"Mr.
Dade County has 310 hotels with Ford said. "The boost is being
46,865 rooms.Orlando ranks No. caused due to a strong inflow of
1 with 440 hotels and 120,559 international tourists. Tourists
rooms. coming from abroad account for
"Miami isperformingwell,driv- 48%of the city's visitors."
ing average room rates up,"said Mr.Ford said hotel construe-
Patrick Ford,president of Logis- tion cycles fluctuate.The lodging met 3's the tallest lady sou
tics Econometrics,aNew Hamp- industry recovers with the na- met city. she above it
shire company."In the previous tional economy,he said. yordowntown'ssherises first it
two years,2,000 new rooms were Because the economy is re- home tot and he city'sfinesstw
created." bounding,he said he expects big
Four hotels with 506 rooms years in hotel construction in 2006 condominium homes. she'
opened in the county last year.In and 2007.Only two hotels with markshe's unique. nothine
2005,the county is set for open- 152 rooms are expected to open /t--
spared,because small det.
. .
ings of six hotels with 910 rooms. in the county in 2006,but seven - difference. and big is
The Setai Hotel,with 75 rooms, are slated for 2007. '
.. big all about.
partially opened last month on Rolando Aedo,vice president -., — is,
South Beach.Le Meridien is to of marketing and tourism for the
open in May in Sunny Isles Greater Miami Convention & m �_
Beach. The Rosewood in Visitors Bureau,said that even nn 1 ,1_A M
Aventura,.and a Courtyard by though the number of visitors is
t1-3
Marriott in Kendall are to start rising,the"county definitely has
welcoming guests in early sum- the capacity to handle its tourist me second residentia,tower!diverse luxury condominiums sky lofts
mer. Hilton's Fantasy on the base. penthouses I magnificent panoramic views!fabulous amenities i
Ocean in Sunny Isles Beach is to "The best answer,in essence, sales center open
be ready in August and the Sole are the measures of occupancy
Ocean Resort in the same com- and room rates,"Mr.Aedo said. sales center located at 300 southeast 3rd avenue I down
munity in October. "For the past two years,we have 305.960.9990 I metropolitanmiami.com
As the new hotels wait in the enjoyed our highest occupancy
wings,room ratesand visitornum- growth in room rates.We have , ro
, ; - . , M
bers continue to rise. been able to absorb without sac- m e t
In February,room rates in Mi- rificingroom rate and occupancy. Q
ami-Dade hotels averaged$172, For now,we have sufficient de-
5
up 19.4% from February 2004 mand to satisfy our base."