There is concern from tourism officials that the weak Canadian dollar may cut back visits to south Florida from Canadians, but a new marketing campaign targeted at Latin America is expected to help lift the number of south Florida tourists from those countries. Airline passenger activity is up by over 6 percent in Atlanta from a year ago with a double-digit increase in international passengers. Financial Banking contacts throughout the Sixth District report that loan demand continues to expand at a moderate rate. Consumer loan demand remained healthy, while the commercial and mortgage markets continue to experience strong demand. Consumer loan quality has not deteriorated despite the high levels of bankruptcies, and bankers say they are not tightening standards.
Competition continues to be heavy for loans and deposits.
Wages and Prices Tight labor markets continue to pressure District employers. Companies are boosting benefits to recruit and retain workers. One manufacturer notes that they have recently increased the base pay rate for all information technology people by 15 to 20 percent to keep from losing them. A large residential builder says that a shortage of skilled trade workers is causing significant delays and price increases. In Louisiana, labor shortages at local shipyards are forcing some yards to forego business.