A four per cent tax is coming to North Bay hotels no later than next February.

It’s called the Municipal Accommodation Tax and the move by council follows a request by Tourism North Bay.

Director Steve Dreany says tourism is under-performing and the funds generated through the tax, about $80,000 a month, will be used to promote tourism opportunities.

“It’s taking the things that we have in the community, putting it together in a package so we can market it to people outside of the community to come here,” he says.

Dreany says not one penny comes from taxpayer’s funds.

He this is essentially a user fee generated by visitors who stay at local hotels, and points to a near five per cent reduction, comparing revenue this past winter and the previous year.

“Including the boost that we got from the World Women’s Curling Championship.  All of those people that came into the community prevented that 4.7 % from being an even larger number. And it was one of only three communities in the province,” he says.

Dreany says the other two were Ottawa and Niagara Falls.

Filed under: Municipal Accommodation Tax, Tourism North Bay