The Door County Tourism Zone Committee Full Commission met Thursday and discussed an agenda item proposed by the Town of Baileys Harbor to make changes for taxes generated by hotels and other lodgings in the area. The tax rate would jump from 5.5 to eight percent, with revenues being split 70/30 between the local government and the community association responsible for promoting and organizing events. The final piece is a new permitting fee system that would fund the tourism administration. With the explosion of rental properties, the one-person staff has gone from processing 500 permits in 2009 to over 1,200 last year. Baileys Harbor says that a fee system would allow for hiring a second full-time employee and one part-time worker to keep up with the demands of the marketplace. It would also help Destination Door County fulfill its role in assisting individual innkeepers to market themselves appropriately to stand out in a crowded field of options.

Any eventual changes would have to be approved by the governing boards of member municipalities.

(Corrected story-  Regular meeting was held for the Door County Tourism Zone Committee Full Commission and the Town of Baileys Harbor proposed the changes.  The Door County Tourism Zone Committee does not handle marketing-related issues)