Lodging occupancies dip

FORT MYERS — Lee County's lodging occupancies fell in February, revealing some softness in the hospitality industry during the height of the season compared with the same month in 2015.

Occupancies at lodgings in Lee County fell 6.6% to 85.1% in February compared with February 2015. The decline in occupancies was partially offset by an 8.8% rise in the average daily rate of $206.71 in the same period.

Revenue per available room fell 0.5% to $175.87, according to the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. The measure is a function of occupancy and average daily rate and is an important gauge of the hospitality industry.

The February results confirm anecdotal evidence of hoteliers' concerns during the peak of the winter tourist season. Heavy rains in South Florida, the spread of the Zika virus, relatively warmer weather in northern states and uncertainty over the economy and the elections likely impacted results, they say.

Lee County collected $4.9 million in lodging taxes in February, a 2.9% increase over the same month in 2015. Passenger traffic at Southwest Florida International Airport, an important gateway for tourists, rose 9.2% to 989,845 travelers.