ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Nine new hotels are expected to open in the Orlando area this year.

STR, which globally tracks the hotel industry, reports that the new hotels will open about 1,300 rooms for tourists to the region.

STR tells the Orlando Sentinel that even more construction is planned: Over 25 new properties are expected to bring an additional 5,200 hotel rooms to Orlando, Sanford and Kissimmee in 2018.

At Orlando International Airport, an ongoing $1.1 billion expansion project includes renovations to the 445-room Hyatt hotel.

Maria Triscari of the International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce said the increasing number of hotels matches a surge in attractions coming to the central Florida tourism corridor. Triscari said that surge includes about $1 billion in new and planned development.