Tourism group calls for funding

September 20, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

A Columbus tourism group says local leaders need to devote more money on marketing efforts to draw more convention business to the city.

Experience Columbus CEO Paul Astleford says one possible way to drum up more funding might lie in the distribution of revenue from the bed tax — the charge on hotel rooms in addition to sales taxes.

Executives and board members of Experience Columbus told The Columbus Dispatch that their share of the bed tax has been diluted over the years.

No one is talking about raising Columbus’ bed tax of 10 percent, The Dispatch reported. Combined with a 6.75 percent sales tax, that’s high compared to other competitive cities.

The Dispatch reports that when a new hotel — the Hilton Columbus Downtown — opens across from the convention center in two years, it could hurt existing hotels if there isn’t more business.

“When a major new hotel comes into a community, you really have to be selling the entire new package the city has to offer three years in advance,” Experience Columbus CEO Astleford says. “We’re already a year behind.”

That’s why Experience Columbus is urging city leaders to dedicate more funding to marketing. This year, budget shortfalls have held back the tourism group from replacing a former marketing executive.

But even on a deficit, Experience Columbus has booked groups representing 156,035 future room nights, compared to 144,288 in the same period last year and 133,556 for the first eight months of 2008.

Last week, the Experience Columbus board reviewed data that compares Columbus with competitive cities.

Columbus’ revenue per available room is $43.75 — compared to $62.61 in Pittsburgh and $51.92 in Nashville, Tenn., for the first seven months of the year, according to Smith Travel Research.

Columbus Hospitality Group president Charles LaGarce says the figures are astonishing.

“I’m scared to death. It’s the worst report I’ve seen in years,” said LaGarce.