For anyone needing any more statistics to show the increasing influence of Hispanics in Southwest Florida, look no further than the annual International Hispanic Gala held at Harborside in downtown Fort Myers.
The expo grew from 29 companies in 2005 to 41 this year. It shouldn’t be a surprising number. Hispanics continue to expand their base for a position of influence in Southwest Florida. In March, U.S. Census numbers revealed Hispanic businesses increased 37.6 percent in Florida from 1997-2002. During the same time, Lee County’s Hispanic population increased 119 percent, while Collier’s was up 73 percent.
It’s not news for those seeing such influence grow from retail shops (just look at the expansion of ethnic foods at local supermarkets) to restaurants, but it’s still a reminder of the diversity of our area.
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