(Image provided by Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau)
New numbers show a major drop in hotel room tax being collected because of COVID-19.
Some hotels are also falling behind in paying that money to local communities. The Fox Cities Area Room Tax Commission met yesterday to talk about the situation and whether hotels should be penalized for not paying.
A recent report by the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau shows a 34 percent drop in revenue from this same time last year. Pam Seidl is the Executive Director. She says 11 hotels did not pay by the deadline, but payments are coming in. Five of those 11 hotels that missed the April deadline have since paid but six others still owe money including three in Grand Chute, one in Appleton, one in Neenah and another in Kaukauna.
Some communities like Grand Chute recently imposed a one-percent penalty for paying late and are threatening to suspend a hotel operator’s license. Kimberly officials are now considering similar actions.
