Town officers in Port Wentworth stated Friday that the city’s tourism marketing and advertising contract has expired.
On Sept. 24, city council voted 4-2 to terminate the Chamber of Commerce’s annual tourism advertising contract after the agreement was not additional to the council’s agenda in the course of a normal assembly.
Earlier, city officers reported the agreement experienced directed a portion of the city’s hotel/motel taxes to the chamber to promote tourism.
“As a neighborhood-oriented entity, the chamber of commerce has constantly proudly sung the praises of Port Wentworth and our business group. Drawing website visitors and newcomers in has been a priority from the beginning, and we are proud to say we have surpassed expectations in that space. Resort/motel charges in this article were up right before COVID-19 hit, tourism paying has introduced in above $7.3 million in resort/motel tax collections about the earlier 10 a long time and, in typical, it is evident that a lot more people today are conscious of all Port Wentworth has to provide in phrases of points of interest, lodging, eateries and location benefit,” Chamber President and CEO Trisha Growe claimed.
Metropolis officers said they will allow cash from promoting to preserve developing till they find a different entity to lover with on tourism promotion initiatives.
“We’ve attained substantially in the way of tourism advertising, and we do strategy to keep on supporting the hospitality organizations and branding the metropolis as an desirable spot to go to. But without having the city’s agreement and help, we will be focusing extra of our interest on advocating for the Port Wentworth enterprise local community, commencing Oct. 1. We hope our elevated efforts will make up for the shortfall our neighborhood corporations could possibly feel considering that the metropolis taken off its assist,” Growe added.
Officials with the Chamber of Commerce explained they were being hardly ever permitted the option to current its advertising and marketing system for the 2021 fiscal calendar year. No reason was specified from the city with regards to why their proposal was not reviewed.