‘We always list the taxes that are on top of our hotel rates, so that our attendees do not have sticker shock at checkout.’
want everything free, but I know the hotels and convention centers are not a favor factory,” said ABA’s Hageb. “They are there to make money — but they can’t be greedy about it.” INTA’s Ruff said it’s essential to inform attendees of the
total cost of the room before an event, to avoid any unwel- come surprises during checkout. “We always list the taxes that are on top of our hotel rates, so that our attendees do not have sticker shock at checkout,” Ruff said. “As an experienced planner, I know all too well that a $159 rate can really mean $200-plus a night, and I do feel that we have the ethical responsibility to communicate, in advance, the total per- night spend one can estimate.” Bed taxes may be annoying, Ruff said, but planners better
get used to them, because they’re here to stay. So meet the challenge head on, partner with CVBs and DMOs from the start — and be proactive in asking questions about taxes and getting clarification for “true responsibility in budgeting for attendees.” Ruff said: “I’m fortunate to have a good relation- ship with the CVB in the destinations I go to. That’s the first place I go. It’s one-stop shopping on tax issues.”
+ Planners may even successfully use taxes as a negotiation
point, as Hageb did with his upcoming convention in San Juan. After he complained about the excessive fees and assessments, the hotel offered a $159 rate for attendees — including taxes. “If your piece of business is of value, the hotels will work with you,” Hageb said. “You really have to look at what the proposal was and compare it to the final contract. If it differs dramatically, then find out why. Find out what these fees and assessments really are. If [the tax] is not going to benefit you, it doesn’t make sense to pay it.”
. Corrie Dosh is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn.
› For a list of lodging taxes in the top 50 U.S. destinations, published in the November 2011 issue of Convene, visit convn.org/lodging-taxes.
ON THE WEB
› The GBTA Foundation conducts an annual study of car rental, hotel, and meal taxes in the top 50 U.S. travel destination cities. For highlights of the most recent study results, released last July, visit convn.org/gbta-taxes.