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Room Tax Committee: tourism generates $1.25M (2022–25); local businesses report reliance on visitors
Summary
Kurt Andrews reported room-tax receipts of $1,252,756.12 for 2022–2025 and said a survey of 49 businesses found all view tourism as contributing to local economic health and 61.2% would close without visitor-driven revenue.
Kurt Andrews, chair of the Room Tax Committee and representative of Explore Two Rivers, presented a tourism update at the April 6 council meeting that summarized survey results and room-tax revenue allocations.
Andrews said a survey of 49 local businesses found unanimous agreement that tourism contributes to the area's economic health; 61.2% reported they would not remain open without revenue tied to visitors. Andrews presented monthly sales-tax patterns showing the peak period from May through October and explained that 30% of room-tax revenues are allocated to the city’s general fund; other funds support tourism projects, marketing and the tourism director’s salary.
He reported cumulative room-tax collections from 2022–2025 of $1,252,756.12, with $370,790.12 (30%) returning to the general fund and roughly $236,000 used for tourism projects cited in his slides. Andrews encouraged residents to serve as "brand ambassadors" for Two Rivers.
Council thanked Andrews; the presentation provided context used later in grant decisions that evening.
