County lodging tax declines in 2017

Revenues from the county’s lodging tax declined by 11 percent during the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to a report from the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board.

Jenissa Meredith, executive director for the board, said the decline was due to declines in the county’s workforce and economy. She said 65 percent of the county’s hotel occupancy is tied to the workforce in Sweetwater County and declines in jobs resulted in declines in hotel occupancy.

During the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the lodging tax generat

ed $851,170 in revenue for the board. The previous fiscal year as a re...