Travel and Tourism Board changes bylaws

The Hot Springs County Board of Travel and Tourism recently met and approved a language change in their bylaws. 

As part of their strategic plan was to define tourism, Matt Hughes gave a bylaw edit for the first reading.  This was originally proposed by Robert Roos because of concerns of businesses that actually do not serve the tourism industry being part of the board. 

Tourism Director Amanda Moeller brought up the International Tourism Industry definition which states, “The people, activities and organizations involved in providing services for people on holiday. For example, hotels, restaurants and tour guides.”

There are also eight sectors of tourism: accommodation, adventure tour and recreation, attractions, events and conferences, food and beverage, tourism services, transportation and travel trade. Gas stations and convenience stores do not fall under these sectors.

Moeller explained how she used Merlin’s Hide Out and Wyoming Whiskey as two of the primary stops as well as regular stops such as the State Park and the Dinosaur Museum when they have international bus tours for the past six years. 

Moeller said she thinks it’s more exclusionary to say ‘primary business’ in the language.

Blair Woodall, Operations Manager from Wyoming Whiskey attended the meeting and said, “Our whiskey shop and tour program is primarily for people coming into the county.” She described several tours coming up with groups of thirty from New York, California and Texas. Woodall also said last year they attracted around 3,000 additional people. She added she, “would hate for a definition to exclude what Wyoming Whiskey can offer as far as a pull and what we can do to help lift up any other businesses in the area as well.”  

During the discussion, there was an addendum to the language and the revision now states, “Where the Joint Powers Agreement refers to board members who are ‘representatives of the travel or tourism industry’, this is interpreted to mean board members whose business primarily serves or attracts visitors to Hot Springs County.”

Also in their bylaws change, they struck the first sentence under Membership, “Appointments, vacancies, length of terms and removal shall be governed by the Joint Powers Agreement dated June 1, 1989.”

The Board voted on the bylaws language changes and it was approved. 

Additionally, Moeller gave a financial report of the Annual Lodging Tax Revenue Comparison for recent years.  In February 2019, the revenue was down 8% compared to the previous year. However, one year later the revenue now received actually increased by 16%.

Finally, the Board is reviewing applications for the open seat left from Moeller’s resignation.