BOERNE — Organizations that offer programs to attract overnight tourists to the city’s hotels, motels, and other lodging establishments may be eligible to receive a portion of hotel occupancy tax funds to support their programs.
Each year, Boerne receives hotel occupancy tax revenue from a tax that is levied on guest rooms at local hotels, motels, inns and short-term rental facilities.
State law requires a two-part test to meet the eligibility for HOT funds.
Part one holds that every expenditure of hotel occupancy taxes must attract overnight tourists to the city’s hotels, motels, and other lodging establishments, thus promoting the city’s lodging industry.
Part two requires every expenditure to fit into one of nine categories: convention and visitors centers; convention registration; advertising the city; promotion of the arts; historical restoration and preservation; sporting events in a county under 1 million in population; enhancing or upgrading existing sports facilities or sports fields (only in certain cities); tourist transportation systems; or signage directing the public to sights and attractions that are visited frequently by hotel guests in the city.
Visit Boerne — a team of four employees joined by knowledgeable volunteers who serve the tourism community, housed inside the Boerne Visitors Center in downtown Boerne — is now accepting applications from local groups or businesses.
The HOT fund application deadline is 5 p.m. March 21. Anyone with any questions about the hotel occupancy tax fund application process can contact Jeanette Teague, Visit Boerne assistant director, at 830-249-7277.
Comment
Comments