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Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014

CONSIDERING LODGING

Occupancy tax would support travel, tourism

Among the slew of bills to be filed for this year’s legislative session is likely to be one to increase the local hotel/motel occupancy tax. Such a proposal will be something of a continuance of last year’s similar legislative effort, which failed due to lack of local leadership support.

Perhaps local leaders will be more agreeable to purpose and outcome this year by ensuring that the bill filed for consideration doesn’t immediately morph into a different picture shortly into the legislative process.

A small increase in hotel occupancy tax would produce funding to help increase interest in and travel to our area for a variety of purposes from business to sporting events.

Last year’s House Bill 179, sponsored by Rep. Henry Burns, proposed to increase the hotel occupancy tax collected by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau from 4.5 percent to 7 percent.

Portions of the revenues derived from the 2.5 percent increase would have been dedicated the Shreveport-

Bossier Sports Commission for sports tourism related activities, and to the Independence Bowl Foundation.

By the time the bill made it through committee, it was entirely Independence Bowl Foundation – oriented and failed to move forward for lack of support from local leaders.

But a recent news story suggests that this year’s effort might be better planned at the outset.

According a Jan. 8 Shreveport Times piece, Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover said he would “like to see it include money to improve air service, which may garner additional support.”

He said while there may not be support to fund the Independence Bowl or air service separately, “We have to marry those issues up in order to make it pretty enough to kiss.”

Which still leaves out last year’s effort to provide a portion of the increase in the tax for the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, yet there’s every reason to include this entity in the marriage.

There is simply no question that improvements in air service to this area of northwest Louisiana would pay all kinds of benefits from new business development to growing the tourism industry.

However, sports tourism is an emerging and very profitable industry for Shreveport-Bossier City, and it is not limited to the annual Independence Bowl (which also could do with some additional funding).

Just a quick review of the economic impact of the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup event should be enough to convince local leaders that supporting sports tourism pays off.

According to the Shreveport- Bossier Sports Commission’s economic impact report, “The total direct visitor impact for the Forrest Wood Cup was $5.6 million spent … for restaurant and bar, liquor, retail, lodging, drugs, transportation/gas and more.”

The Sports Commission’s event calendar is already filling up and includes support for events such as the Jr. Dixie Boys World Series Age 13 and Dixie Boys World Series Age 14; USA Wakeboard Collegiate Nationals; and Regions Archery Tournament – to name only a few. While certainly not on the level of the Forrest Wood Cup, all of these events bring visitors to our area – they stay in our hotels/motels, enjoy our restaurants and retail outlets.

Local support for increasing the hotel occupancy tax this year should have the support of all local political leaders and shouldn’t morph into a different plan between Shreveport and Baton Rouge.

And one last thought … The obvious opponents to an increase in the hotel occupancy tax are those in our local lodging industry.

But my husband and I travel several times a year, and while we’ve considered location, amenities and overall cost, we’ve never thought about the occupancy tax on the tab.

I’ve asked many friends about this and they agree; the occupancy tax just doesn’t register when considering lodging.

ON STANDS NOW!

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