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Visit Montgomery details grants, agritourism push and flags hotel‑tax softness
Summary
Visit Montgomery told the Economic Development Committee it has new federal and state grant activity, a mobile visitor‑center plan and tools to track visitors, but noted hotel/motel tax revenue has softened and could affect next year’s funding.
Visit Montgomery told Montgomery County’s Economic Development Committee on Jan. 27 that it is implementing several grant‑funded initiatives, expanding marketing and data capabilities, and urging the council to monitor hotel/motel tax receipts as the county finalizes the FY26 budget.
The presentation, led by a Visit Montgomery representative introduced to the committee, said hotel‑tax collections rose sharply from FY23 to FY24 but were ‘‘only up about 1 percent’’ year‑to‑date through November of FY25. Staff earlier in the packet noted hotel/motel tax revenues are projected to decline for FY26, and the committee discussed how that could affect the bureau’s operations and staffing proposals.
Why it matters: Visit Montgomery’s core operating funds are tied to the 7% hotel/motel tax; sustained drops in that revenue would reduce the bureau’s capacity to market the county and to deliver grant matches the county has discussed.
Visit Montgomery outlined four grants in active implementation: a C&O Canal collaboration (regional partners and federal funding), a meetings‑marketing grant to launch a Meet in Maryland cooperative ($250,000), a rural branding strategy implemented with consulting firm Civic Brand, and a MOCO Eats food‑and‑beverage showcase scheduled for March 30–31 at the Hilton Rockville.
“We all pride ourselves on the culinary diversity of our community,” the Visit Montgomery representative said, announcing MOCO Eats as both a public tasting day and a hospitality conference for industry professionals.
Committee members asked how the bureau picks trade shows and whether a static visitor center is needed. Visit Montgomery described a preference for a mobile visitor center (a branded van) that can serve events and rural locations; it also said it collects richer visitor data through a new reservation platform and third‑party analytics (PlacerAI, Symphony) to measure return on investment from trade shows.
On agritourism, staff said the bureau is pursuing a rural branding strategy, has hired a consultant and plans virtual focus groups to capture resident and visitor sentiment. The bureau noted that a dedicated agritourism staff member would increase capacity but that the fiscal recommendation to add that position was not funded last year.
Committee members also discussed the possibility that major DC events — including WorldPride — could spill over into Montgomery County and lift hotel demand. Visit Montgomery said price differentials in room rates make the county competitive for visitors priced out of central DC hotels.
What’s next: The committee asked staff and Visit Montgomery to keep the council apprised of updated hotel‑tax receipts and grant developments during the FY26 budget process.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A at the Montgomery County Economic Development Committee work session, Jan. 27 (Visit Montgomery; county staff).
