Florida sees drop in visitors

By TED JACKOVICS | tjackovics@tampatrib.com
Published: August 20, 2009

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TAMPA --

An estimated 20.1 million people visited Florida from April through June, a 9.4 percent decrease over the same period last year, the state's tourism marketing agency said.

Reports from Florida's 14 major airports in the second quarter of 2009 reflect a 7.2 percent decrease in departing passengers from the same period in 2008, Visit Florida said.

In the most recent report on hotel and motel performance in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, Smith Travel Research of Hendersonville, Tenn., reported a 5.4 percent decline in rooms sold in June compared with year-ago figures.

Hotel demand in Hillsborough County declined 7.6 percent in June compared with year-ago figures to 326,760 rooms.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.