The town of Smithers is looking to increase its Hotel tax by one percentage point.
Visitors at local accommodations would pay a 3% tax instead of 2%, which could generate about $60,000 more revenue per year for Tourism Smithers.
Marketing Director Gladys Atrill says the work Tourism Smithers does has ripple effect throughout the entire economy.
“The things that we promote get busier, we get more people in town which spells good things for restaurants and the retail sector because because more dollars are coming to the community and being left behind.”
Atrill says the money would go towards creating new opportunities for local tourism and ramping up the promotion of Smithers to the world online.
She added that “the municipality has always been supportive of tourism.”
“We have a tourism industry; we have people that have invested dollars so that there are things for people to do. Plus as we all know as residents we have beautiful community.”
Town Council will debate the tax bump at their regular meeting on Tuesday. If approved, the increase to come into effect next summer. The City of Prince George recently made a similar move to increase their hotel tax to 3%.
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