HOW DOES A HOTEL IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY
When driving across the country, you have the benefit of seeing many more small communities then big cities. These communities have much more to offer then just a gas station to fill up. Small communities are growing into great pit-stops where you and any travel companions can rest and recharge. Small communities are seeing the benefits of welcoming hotels with open arms to take advantage of the direct and collateral economic benefits a lodging facility can bring.
When considering the direct economic impact of a hotel, you need to consider the hotel itself. The actual revenue brought in by the hotel. The jobs it creates. The operating costs paid to the local community. These things can range from the purchase of donuts from the local bakery every morning to utilities the hotel pays each month. The taxes generated to the community. These taxes have a local and far reach. Some communities even take advantage of collecting a local lodging or bed tax and use it to market their community. You can also consider the jobs created during the construction of the hotel. All of these things, large or small, will make an impact on a community in a positive manner (as long as the hotel is feasible).
The second part of bringing a hotel to a community is the collateral economic impact. Collateral economic impact affects a community in so many ways that we will simply give you a few examples and you can let your mind do the rest. When people are able to stay in your community instead of driving to the next, they fill up their gas tank, buy some snacks, have dinner at the local restaurant, stop at your local unique shop to spend a few dollars or even catch a glimpse of a sign pointing to the local history museum and make a donation. All of these things and more create collateral jobs, revenue and tax dollars.
The simple fact is that bringing a hotel into your community will keep travelers in your community. Small communities across the country are home to great tourist attractions, fantastic sporting and social events and many local companies that have regional and even national recognition. These places get visitors on a daily basis and when there is no place to stay, these visitors, stay 30 miles or more away, taking their money with them. They will also not be able to tell their friends and family about the great town they visited last week and all it had to offer. To us, that is a darn shame!