Hotel tax brings $546,000 to Clearfield County

Thursday, February 9, 2012

CLEARFIELD - Clearfield County is continuing to see a positive trend in revenue from the hotel tax.
Holly Komonczi, Clearfield County tourism director, said at Tuesday's commissioner work session that things are "going very well."
According to information provided by Komonczi, hotel tax revenue increased by $85,000 last year, from $461,320 to $546,325 in 2011. Since the hotel tax was implemented in 2004, when the county collected $320,076, revenues have increased by more than $220,000.
Regarding the most current numbers, the first and fourth quarters saw a substantial increase in revenues over 2010. Revenue from the first quarter of 2011 nearly doubled, from $67,467 in 2010 to $119,713 in 2011.
Fourth quarter revenues increased from $98,711 in 2010 to $120,460 last year.
The third quarter showed a slight increase, from $162,064 in 2010 to $174,047, while the second quarter remained fairly even.
Komonczi said Clearfield County is in a "great location off of Interstate 80."
"We are getting the travelers in the summer," she said, "but in the winter months it is a struggle to fill (the hotels.)"
Komonczi said she is in the middle of a winter campaign that has been the "most successful" this year. She said its focus is to bring people into the region.
Commissioner Joan Robinson-McMillen asked for an example of a package and was told of a family package where four people can stay in a room at the Hampton Inn in Clearfield for $100 a night, which includes a free breakfast, use of the swimming pool and a $25 gift certificate at Fun Central.
She also gave examples of spa packages that are available.
When asked if she tracks where most travelers are coming from, Komonczi said the Midwest and the Northeast seem to be the most popular.
She said there do not seem to be many travelers coming from the South.
Regarding the tourism grant program, Komonczi said the maximum grant award was recently increased to $7,500. She said it is a matching grant and some of the projects that can be done with it include marketing, web design, brochures, commercials and signage.
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Reported by Dena Bosak, C-E Copy Editor. Email:dbosak@thecourierexpress.com.