Report: Hispanic population, buying power rising
Orlando Business Journal - 2:06 PM EDT Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Fishkind & Associates Inc. last week unveiled a study that showed Central Florida's Hispanic population is outgrowing other communities.

Economist Hank Fishkind, who presented the report during last week's two-day Hispanic Summit at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, says the local Hispanic community is expected to reach a 2 to 4 percent higher rate of growth than non-Hispanics by the end of the decade.

The study also revealed 41 percent of Osceola County's population will be of Hispanic decent by 2009. Personal income for Central Florida's Hispanic community, rose 64 percent over the past seven years and by the decade's end is projected to go up another 12 percent, topping $10.5 billion.

Hispanic-owned businesses make up 25 percent of the businesses in Central Florida, and the local Hispanic population's spending adds more than $4.3 billion to the region's economy.

The Puerto Rican community, which is 56 percent of the Hispanic community, contributes 50 percent of the Hispanic income in the region. Those of Puerto Rican decent contribute $4.7 billion annually in earnings, and that number is expected to hit $5.3 billion by 2009.

As far as purchasing power, the Hispanic community this year is expected to spend $7.8 billion, which is projected to increase to $8.8 billion by 2009.

The entire report by Fishkind & Associates, as well as presentations by other organizations, is available on the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.orlando.org/hispanicsummit.

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