Hotels booked in October

Irma effects shrugged off

Business boomed as visitors headed to South Florida.

South Florida’s hotels were fuller in October and enjoyed higher room rates than a year ago, a reversal of fortune that could help offset the erosion of tourist traffic caused by Hurricane Irma-related cancellations and refunds.

Last month, many local hotels enjoyed a boost in room and food and beverage revenues as crowds of visitors filed through their doors again for leisure, business, sports or convention trips.

The throngs of arriving travelers — spurred perhaps by destination marketing messages touting the region as ‘open for business’ following Irma — was a stark contrast to the September exodus caused by mandatory evacuations.

In Broward County, hotels were 76 percent full, up from 68.2 percent in October 2016, according to new data released Monday by the industry-research firm STR. Broward’s average daily rate rose to $127.34 from $118.29 last year. The county’s revenue per available room climbed to $96.78 from $80.70 the previous year, according to the Tennessee industry data and analytics specialist.

“October was a very good month, which traditionally is not, so we’re very happy with October,” said Eduardo Fernandez, general manager of the 240-room Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach.

In the weeks since Hurricane Irma’s passage, the Sonesta has seen an upswing in short-term leisure, group and wedding business, Fernandez said during a recent tour.

Last month, Palm Beach County’s hotels were 75.7 percent occupied at an average daily rate of $138.42, while revenue per available room rose 21.1 percent to $104.55. That compares to occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room of 65.2 percent, $132.41 and $86.35, respectively in October 2016.

“The Palm Beaches saw dramatic occupancy in-