APTC: Hotel tax revenues way up

Revenue from the Hotel Occupancy Tax has seen a dramatic increase in the past two years.
“It’s sad to say, but the hurricanes impacted us in a positive way,” said Bart Wild, chairman of the Acadia Parish Tourist Commission.
Revenue this year is up over $205,000, according to Nancy Loewer, executive director, who reported that after three years in the $140,000-range, the HOT revenue jumped to $178,000 last year then to its current figure for 2021.
“It’s sad, but the hurricanes displaced a lot of people in the past two years,” she said. “That and the line crews and other workers staying in hotels had a real impact.”
Hurricanes Laura and Delta devastated the southwest area of the state in 2020 then Hurricane Ida struck the southeast area this year.
“Besides the storms, though, it looks like people are moving around a lot more now,” said Wild. “We’re having more festivals and ball games and such and people are just getting out.”
In other business, Loewer told commissioners that APTC started a new promotion earlier in the week featuring Christmas decorations in the rural areas of Acadia.
“There are a lot of great lights out in the country that a lot of people don’t get to see just because they don’t know about them,” Loewer said.
APTC is asking residents to take photos of lighted up homes “in the country” and either send them to the tourism office or post them with the hashtag ChristmasinAcadia.
Stevie Robinson, intern, reported that the APTC had been awarded a Louisiana Tourism Revival grant in the amount of $78,343.
“That money can be used for marketing,” she explained.
Savanah Trahan, horticulture agent with the LSU AgCenter, was at the meeting to tell of plans for her department including the implementation of “school gardens” at parish schools.
“We already have four schools interested,” she said.
In closing, Wild announced that officers will be elected during the January meeting of the commission.