Submitted by City of Olympia
The application period is open for funding from Olympia’s Lodging Tax for 2019 tourism‐related services. The application is posted on the City’s website: olympiawa.gov/lodgingtax.
Olympia receives an amount equal to a 4 percent tax on overnight hotel/motel/bed & breakfast lodging in the City of Olympia. By state law, the city’s Lodging Tax Fund is used for:
- Marketing and operating expenses of festivals and events designed to attract tourists
- Capital and/or operating costs of tourism‐related facilities owned by the City, and
- Operating expenses of tourism‐related facilities operated by 501c3 and 501c6 non‐profit organizations.
Non‐profit and government agencies that provide tourism services or operate tourism facilities are eligible to apply. Applications will be reviewed by Olympia’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee who will recommend 2019 funding to the City Council. All agencies awarded funding will be required to sign a contract with the City to provide specific tourism services during 2019. The 2019 Lodging Tax Application deadline is Friday, September 21, at 4:00 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted.
In particular, the Olympia committee is seeking applications for events, activities, and facilities that attract tourists who stay overnight in Olympia hotels, motels, and bed & breakfast facilities through. The committee is also interested in events and activities that bring tourist to stay overnight outside of the peak tourist seasons.
Questions can be directed to Kellie Purce Braseth, Strategic Communications Director and staff liaison to Olympia’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, 360.753.8361, kbraseth@ci.olympia.wa.us.
Featured photo credit: jennlvs2smile
