The City of Dauphin has passed a new bylaw that will create an accommodation tax on hotel rooms.
City council first proposed the bylaw in November, drawing concerns from Dauphin’s hoteliers.
The proposed tax was a 5 percent tariff on hotel stays with the money collected from it going towards funding maintenance and improvements for the city’s recreation areas.
After consulting with the city’s hoteliers, the money will be allocated towards tourism and recreation services to try and seek out events to come to Dauphin.
Harvey Armstrong, the owner of the Dauphin Super 8, is hoping that the funds from the tax help boost tourism in Dauphin.
“There’s no doubt, with our market shrinking like it’s been shrinking, that we need additional room nights,” said Armstrong. “We need additional events and additional things to happen in order to sustain the hospitality industry.”
He adds that the more people that stay in the community, the better it is for the community as a whole.
Armstrong is happy that the city eventually consulted with hoteliers to find a solution that works for everybody.
The tax will come into effect on April 1st, 2020.
