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Orlando to promote its hotels as stays drop
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published July 27, 2006
ORLANDO - Fewer people this year are staying in hotels around Central Florida's mega-tourist draws, and the area could lose more without stepped-up advertising, the head of Orlando's visitors bureau said Wednesday. Area hotel occupancy is down 2.8 percent so far in 2006, while the other top 25 markets for Smith Travel Research saw a 1.8 percent total increase. Room demand is down almost 4 percent, said Orlando/Orange county Convention and Visitors Bureau president Bill Peeper. Part of the problem is that tourists don't perceive the city as particularly relaxing, a quality more are seeking out of vacations, Peeper said. The area also spends tens of millions less on advertising than places like Las Vegas, New York, Mexico and the Caribbean, which are among the city's top competitors. Officials last week approved a penny increase in hotel taxes, allowing local tourism promoters a $30-million ad budget, compared with just $6-million a year ago. Las Vegas' budget is $90-million.
[Last modified July 27, 2006, 01:10:19]
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