Consultants urge Weston County to boost visitor spending, prepare for lodging-tax renewal in 2028

Consultants presented a draft tourism strategy to the Weston County Travel Commission on Oct. 25, 2025, urging actions to raise visitor spending, expand paid marketing and prepare the public for a lodging-tax renewal in November 2028.

The proposal centers on growing visitor spending “faster than your neighbors” to move Weston County up state ranking, expanding marketing and staffing the commission so the organization can reach a $200,000 annual budget target. The consultants said the county is currently about $40,000 short of that target and laid out specific tactics to fill the gap.

Why it matters: the local lodging tax is the commission’s principal revenue source for marketing and product development; consultants said voters approved the tax in 2024 and it will be up for renewal in November 2028. Consultants and local participants warned that public education — including recurring annual reports showing how visitor dollars benefit residents — will be necessary before a renewal campaign.

Workshop details and recommendations

Consultants summarized recent county tourism data and implications for strategy. They reported statewide visitor volume at about 8.7 million and said Weston County recorded roughly 53,000–57,000 visitors in the referenced year; the county represents about 2.5 percent of the state’s land area and about 1.2 percent of its population. Consultants said county employment tied to tourism has climbed in recent years (they cited an increase from about 170 to about 210 jobs) and noted a single new…