The Door County Tourism Zone Commission is funding a study on the impact of a proposed increase in the lodging room tax by 2.5%. It's currently set at 5.5%. The commission's Ad Hoc Room Tax Committee voted to accept a proposal from the UW-Whitewater Fiscal and Economic Research Center to study the proposal's potential benefits and impacts. Center Director Dr. Russell Kashian says research has found similarities between Delavan and Door County on how to use increased revenues to enhance a visitor's experiences and attract return customers.
Kashian told the committee during a Zoom meeting Tuesday that communities that have raised their room taxes have not seen significant decreases in lodging occupancy rates.
(photo courtesy of Rock Koshkonong Lake District)