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Weather, Economy Keep Tourists Away

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TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: November 6, 2008

CLEARWATER - More than one out of two Pinellas County hotel rooms was vacant during September as the poor economy and hurricane threats took a toll on the local visitors' industry, two reports released Wednesday show.

Hotel, motel and condominium rental occupancy fell to 47.1 percent in September, the latest figures available, compared with 52 percent a year ago, according to Research Data Services, a tourism industry consultant based in Tampa said.
Overnight visitors to Pinellas declined 6.8 percent in September, to 199,760, the research report said. That decline led to an 8.9 percent drop in overall visitor spending for the month compared with September 2007, Research Data said. Visitors to the county spent an estimated $129.5 million in September.

In a separate report, Smith Travel Research of Hendersonville, Tenn., said that Pinellas hotel and motel occupancy declined from 51.7 percent in September 2007 to 44.6 percent in September 2008.

Occupancy rates below 50 percent were reported in September in six of seven Florida waterfront resort locations that compete with Pinellas - the Florida Keys, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota-Bradenton, Palm Beach County and Fort Lauderdale, the Smith report showed.

But the Miami-Hialeah area filled 57.1 percent of its rooms in September.

The Tampa Bay Rays' run for the World Series last month should be a boost to the industry.

"October should be a little better than usual in Pinellas, thanks to the Tampa Bay Rays attracting visitors," said Ann Wittine of Research Data.

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

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