IT'S PATIO SEASON

TOURISM: HOTEL TAX INCREASE WILL BENEFIT REVELSTOKE COMMUNITY

MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL DISTRICT TAX INCREASE, EXPANSION OF COLLECTION AREA, WILL HELP FACILITATE POPULAR INITIATIVES AND NEW PROGRAMS

By Revelstoke Mountaineer staff

Tourism Revelstoke says it is starting to direct more of its efforts and initiatives towards residents and the community. A recent Municipal and Regional District Tax increase (from two per cent to three percent), and an expansion of the collection area to include CSRD Area B will help these efforts.

In Revelstoke, every visitor who stays in a hotel or short-term vacation rental pays a tax on their stay (the MRDT). According to Tourism Revelstoke, up until May 1, 2023, this tax was levied at two per cent in the City of Revelstoke. As of May 1, 2023, the tax increased an additional per cent and expanded to include CSRD Area B. This puts Revelstoke on par with most other MRDT collecting BC municipalities.

“By provincial mandate, 0.2 per cent will go to a provincial events fund, accessible by application (Revelstoke was successful in an application for the Natural Selection Tour). The other 0.8 per cent will go towards destination management initiatives. Taxes levied on short term vacation rentals through platforms like AirBnB and VRBO go towards a separate fund for affordable housing, managed by the City of Revelstoke,” Tourism Revelstoke said in a statement.

The funds will help facilitate the return of popular initiatives from previous years, like the Thanksgiving Back campaign. They will also support the expansion of Tourism Revelstoke’s support for community events and visitor education programs like the Sustain the Stoke environmental initiatives.

New programs will include support for training front-line staff, input to support solutions to the housing crisis, and investment in Indigenous tourism experiences.

In addition, Tourism Revelstoke has worked with consultants from Destination Think over the past year to engage the community and create a plan to ensure tourism offers a mutual benefit to the community. This has included a robust community engagement process, hosting film screenings, a podcast, resident interviews, a survey, and an elementary school project.

Looking for local food options on your road trip south of Revelstoke this summer?

Two new food guides, Slocan Valley Grown and Grow Arrow Lakes, have been released alongside the start of the 2023 farming season. These guides aim to promote local farms, growers, producers, grocers, and farmers' markets in the Slocan Valley and Arrow Lakes regions.

Slocan Valley and Arrow Lakes are rural communities that have developed a strong agricultural scene and offer unique local goods and products. The food guides seek to connect residents and visitors with these offerings, supporting the local food economy.

Arrow Slocan Tourism, the Nakusp and Area Development Board (NADB), and the Slocan Valley Economic Development Partnership (SVEDP) collaborated on the creation and distribution of the food guides. The guides feature a variety of businesses, including vegetable farms, herbalists, honey producers, roasteries, wineries, and a craft cidery.

One of the initiatives, Grow Arrow Lakes, was launched by NADB in partnership with Arrow Slocan Tourism and funded by the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC). It includes a visual brand, a webpage, an online directory, written profiles, and a print and digital food guide and map.

Slocan Valley Grown, in its second year, was created by SVEDP, with funding from Arrow Slocan Tourism. The guide has expanded with seventeen new listings this year, indicating growth in the agricultural sector. It includes a webpage, farmer and producer profiles, and a print and digital food guide and map.

The food guides can be obtained at local businesses and Visitor Information Centres in Slocan Valley and Arrow Lakes. Digital versions are accessible through QR codes or the community websites.

The collaboration between NADB, SVEDP, and Arrow Slocan Tourism, along with the involvement of creative professionals, contributed to the development and management of both initiatives.

Contributed

The food guides play a role in promoting local food resources and connecting consumers with the region's farmers and producers. They serve as practical tools for individuals seeking information on local food options.

Find the digital guides at www.nadb.ca/growarrowlakes, www.arrowslocan.com/farmto-table and www.slocanvalley.com/grown