Reflecting the significant increase in hotel rooms...

Reflecting the significant increase in hotel rooms available in San Diego County over the last year, the February occupancy rate declined sharply, according to surveys by two hotel industry consulting firms.

Other February tourism indicators released Wednesday by the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau were generally up, led by a 14.9% increase in U.S.-Mexico border crossings and a 32.2% increase in zoo visitors. Tourism officials attributed the increase in zoo attendance to tourists taking a last look at the visiting panda exhibit, which departed in February.

According to Laventhol & Horwath, the February occupancy rate at county hotels surveyed dropped to 76.3% from the 81.4% reported last year. Pannell Kerr Forster reported a February drop to 71.6%, down from 77.5% a year previous.

Although the occupancy rate was down in February, actual room nights sold by county hotels surveyed rose 8.2% to to 783,141, Laventhol & Horwath said. The fact that room nights sold could increase at the same time that occupancy rates softened indicated the increase in hotel rooms on the market.

Tourism officials last year had anticipated a 10% jump in total rooms available in the county in 1988, the largest single addition to hotel room inventory being the 683-room second tower at the San Diego Marriott that opened in December.

The report issued by Laventhol & Horwath said part of the February occupancy-rate decline may have been due to poor weather.

The San Diego tourism bureau also reported that air passenger arrivals at Lindbergh Field increased 6.2% in February, visitor spending was up 6.3% and that Sea World attendance was up 6.3%.