Report Details Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Marked Increase in Visitors

Downtown Fort Lauderdale is attracting a marked increase in visitors, registering 900,000 “out-of-town trips” in 2022, according to the “DowntownFTL: A Market on the Rise” report conducted by the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority (DDA) in conjunction with Colliers International, professional services and investment management company.

“Downtown Fort Lauderdale has seen massive visitor growth over the past five years, with a 162 percent increase in domestic out-of-town trips since 2018,” DDA said.

“This trend is driven by several critical factors, including the addition of new hotels, which has tripled the area’s inventory in recent years.

“In addition, visitors can enjoy a range of high-quality dining options and cultural amenities, all within a convenient and easily walkable distance.”

Upward of 2,100 rooms “are built or planned, which is five times the number available in 2018,” DDA said, adding that two out of every three rooms were built since 2018.

In all, the downtown area currently houses s 10 hotels comprising upward of 1,500 hotel rooms – with first-quarter occupancies of 86 percent.

“Four new hotels are planned for Downtown Fort Lauderdale, including The Whitfield, which will be the first-5 star hotel downtown and add an ultra-luxurious experience to Las Olas Boulevard,” DDA said. “Notably, 45 percent of all hotel rooms in Downtown Fort Lauderdale are in Flagler Village, downtown’s fastest-growing live-work-play neighborhood.”

In terms demographics, the “New York City metro area, with 19 percent of all trips to Downtown Fort Lauderdale, was the top point of origin for out-of-town visitors in 2022, followed by Chicago and Detroit,” DDA said.

“Cold weather climates such as New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC, account for 40 percent of all trips to Downtown Fort Lauderdale.”

“Tourists spend more time in Downtown Fort Lauderdale than ever, with 36 percent of all visits extending between three and seven days, a nine-point increase from 2018,” DDA added.