The Wyoming Senate has given initial support to a five percent lodging tax that could provide over $20 million to Wyoming's tourism industry. Three percent of the tax would go towards state tourism promotion and the other two percent would go to counties to promote local tourism. Senator Hank Coe of Cody said during floor debate that the tax is important.
"Tourism is our number two industry. We have a division of tourism where the Director has won national awards and we're being outspent by surrounding states significantly when it comes to promoting tourism," said Coe.
Senator Cale Case, who owns a hotel in Lander, was unsuccessful in getting the local two percent removed from the tax, saying that it would negatively impact the Wyoming visitors who stay in his facility. The bill will be debated two more times.
