From the Niagara Falls Review:
Public financing of Niagara Falls Tourism has been a point of contention at city budget deliberation time for years – although it appears the group might get a warmer reception at council this year, despite the fact it wants more taxpayer money…
Many tourism operators in the city have been using a destination marketing fee over the past few years – essentially an additional tax – to raise extra money. Council has been told the $35 million in private investment toward the new convention centre has been collected through the marketing fee. That’s good to finally hear.
Still it would be nice for taxpayers to see an audit of this program.
I totally agree! I think the DMF (destination marketing fee) is a big scam. The hotels don’t have to account for it at all. It is taxable itself, which shows it isn’t a real tax (that’s why it’s called a fee). The hotels are getting an extra 3% revenue that they are supposed to use for marketing, but there is no way to confirm that it is actually being used for that. I also highly doubt that $35 million of the DMF has been invested in the new convention centre. If this DMF is really for promoting Niagara Falls, then why not submit that money directly to Niagara Falls Tourism so the city doesn’t have to give more taxpayer money to them?