V. Hugh Lewis II/Jefferson Jimplecute
Hotel Occupancy Tax receipts are on a slow climb from last month according to Tourism Board president Colleen Taylor.
“HOT is not stagnant but on a slow climb,” Taylor said. “We’re need to hope the next four months hold steady or increases a little before we get concerned. We’re still on the rise but not as much as I’d have liked.”
Taylor said there are two new BnB’s in town but they haven’t completed their registration to submit HOT funds yet and that she’d be contacting them this week.
According to the report ending May 2023, the City has collected $127,897.85 in HOT funds, or 62.389% of the budgeted amount. Spending for the year is at $135,253.18 or 65.977% of their budget.
The Board allocated another $1,000 grant from HOT funds to Hayman Dengler and the Big Cypres Corvettes club for advertising, printing and awards for their new Golf Cart Challenge event scheduled for July 15.
Details on the event were not available during the meeting as no one representing the event was present and the Board relied on what had been posted on FaceBook and a poster. The Jimplecute has emailed Dengler requesting more information on the event, but had not received a response by press time.
In other business the Board may consider transferring the remaining online advertising campaign to other advertising options as they do not have an event they wish to promote before the end of the fiscal year. This year the Board has spent funds on campaigns for the Candlelight Tours, Mardi Gras, and a music concert at 1852 on Austin.
Using the remaining campaign for the Burn Benefit in October was suggested by the JImplecute, but Board vice president Pam Thomas said since all the hotels were already full, it wouldn’t put any additional “heads in beds.” When questioned how Mardi Gras and Candlelight campaigns were justified, Thomas had no response.
The Board indicated they would review options at their next meeting.
Thomas reported the change to the Tyler market for television streaming ads is not going as well as hoped with only 513 click-through’s in May. She said the Dallas area market continues to perform well and the Houston area market is down again. She said that the May website traffic increased from April by 5% and was still an increase in year-over-year comparisons.
Taylor said the Tourism Building continues to “hold it’s own” in rentals each month and is above budgeted income and that a number of maintenance projects on the building had been completed.
The Board will meet again on July 10.