Future of Eureka Springs tourism agency, funding on the November ballot

[RandySF]

Eureka Springs, one of Arkansas’ tourism hot spots, faces the possibility of losing more than $2 million a year in hospitality tax revenue that is used to promote the city, manage city tourism assets and support tourism events.

In 2023, the tax generated $2.05 million, down 1.4% compared with 2022 revenue.

A group of citizens unhappy with the Eureka Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission (CAPC) have managed to place an item on the November general election ballot to remove the city’s 3% hospitality tax on prepared food and on lodging. It only took 148 signatures in a town of around 2,500 to get the item on the ballot.

Mike Maloney, tourism director of the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission, understands why some would like to see the tax and the commission go away. He readily admits that the commission has a troubled past, including a revolving door of leadership, a lack of transparency and questionable actions related to event promotion.



https://talkbusiness.net/2024/10/future-of-eureka-springs-tourism-agency-funding-on-the-november-ballot/

[Blue for the win]

1. Who would want to go

Tax revenues are down because no one wants to go to a state run by a Huckabee. I know I certainly would never step foot in the state.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Eureka Springs

And damn near all of Northwest Arkansas are awesome places to visit, camp out, fish, hit the craft shows, enjoy the geography. My former hometown of Fayetteville is “easy to love, hard to leave” as stated in the recent edition of Southern Living. And that is a perfect description. The GOP inflicts it’s cancer everywhere but health permitting I’d visit Northwest Arkansas as often as possible.