Why not three per cent?

by Kate Bouey - CASTANET Apr 1, 2016 / 2:29 pm
Vernon Tourism is hoping to up the funds it earns from the city's tourism tax, charged on hotel and motel room rates. Currently, the tax sits at two per cent, but 27 local hostelry managers are being asked if they would agree to a hike in the rate for 2017. The plan has already been given assent by the tourism committee, which has some local hotel representatives. “Personally, the big question was 'how do the hotel managers feel about it?' And they don't seem to think there's a problem,” said Coun. Catherine Lord, who acts as an alternate for council on the committee. “There are a fair number of communities in B.C., some of the larger cities, that do have that – and they haven't, I don't think, found any particular issue with it,” said Lord, stressing it's “better for our tourism, in order to promote our area.” In 2015, the City of Vernon earned $616,621 from its two per cent tax on local hotel room rentals, the largest sum yet collected by the city. “This is a 15.1 per cent increase over 2014,” said Kevin Poole, economic development and tourism officer, in a report to city council. The money is used to promote Vernon as a tourist destination.