As a meeting planner you are all too aware that taxes can do quite a number on your budget. Taxes must be figured into the meeting-planning equation; the price of rooms in one city may sound quite reasonable at first, but once taxes come into play, those rooms can quickly go from affordable to astronomical.
A recent report from the GBTA Foundation revealed the taxing situation in a number of US Cities. The role of the GBTA Foundation is to provide “the business travel industry with timely and accurate research, scholarships and top-notch educational programs.” Here is what they found.
First, note that there is a 57% average increase of costs passed on to visitors via travel-related services. These taxes often fund unrelated projects, but they are none the less a factor. Whatever the final tax figure ends up being, it will definitely impact your organization’s travel and meeting budget.
The study looked at various cities and combined their general sales tax in combination with travel-related taxes. In the number one spot is Chicago, where the average single-day travel taxes come in at $40.31, on through to Houston at $33.51 per day. On the low end is Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Ft. Myers, Florida at $22.21 per day on up to Orlando, which comes in at $24.50 per day.
The report also looked at the cities from the standpoint of travel-related taxes only, omitting the general sales tax. On the high end is Portland, Oregon at $22.45 on through to Washington, DC at $14.68. The lower end shows West Palm Beach, Florida at $7.17 on through to Burbank, California at a mere $1.81!
Make sure to check out the full report for additional cities and information. Knowing the tax burden up front can be a huge part of your decision making when it comes to planning the next location of your meeting. Don’t be caught unawares.
By the way, I am really good at helping you find the best, least taxing spot, for your next meeting! Please feel free to call me 636-797-3405. We can also start by connecting on Facebook; come Like my page today! Many thanks, Meeting Planners!
Thank you to Travel Kit on NBC for the image!
Great post, Jill! Adds another important dimension to room rate comparisons.