The Waycross Convention and Visitors Bureau is instituting new funding guidelines in 2025, according to WCVB Chair Dr. William Clark during the Thursday, January 30 meeting at City Hall.
“Going forward, before we talk about money, we’re going to start asking for a report after events which tell us how many people attended and your estimate about how many people came from out of town,” said Clark.
The WCVB is an independently funded organization overseen by Tourism Executive Director Patrick Simmons. It has a voting board comprised of Reba Smith, Clint Bowman, Eunice Dixon, and Rena Vining.
At each meeting, local organizations are given the opportunity to apply to the WCVB for financial assistance. The WCVB wants to assure funding is used more intentionally toward driving tourism.
In related news, Downtown Development Authority Director Laura Dixon reported the organization is ready to begin moving forward with projects being funded by the $250,000 in SPLOST award from the 2022 election.
“I presented a proposal of several projects to the county commissioners in December,” said Dixon. “We plan to begin those projects in the next couple of months, including two interactive kiosks.”
According to Dixon, one kiosk will be placed in the caboose offering history of the caboose and the impact of the railroad on the area. The other will be located inside the depot and feature a history of Ware County and a directory of shopping, dining and hospitality options.
Representatives from the hotel and motel market reported community- wide there is an approximate 72 percent occupancy per night with higher occupancies during the week due to business travel.
The ongoing city-wide discussion regarding a one percent increase of the local hotel motel tax resumed.
Dr. Clark explained a tax increase must be passed by a unanimous vote of the City Commissioners before moving to the Georgia Legislature before its March 7 cross-over day.
The commissioners were unable to vote on the increase at the previous commission meeting in January because of the absence of Commissioner Diane Hopkins due to illness.
If the commission votes to approve the increase prior to March 7, and lawmakers approve, the tax will take effect in July.
“If we miss the deadline next month, then it would be July, 2026 at the earliest,” said Clark. “It’s my hope that if it passes, it would allow us to be more active with the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.
“I have been in contact with the Department of Economic Development. The Tourism Marketing Division has indicated an interest in partnering with the WCVP to develop a strategic marketing plan. We are in the discussion stage.
“We have not made any commitment, but the state is very interested in helping us, probably for free, but the things they recommend we do won’t be free. They will require investments and we’re going to need some money to make it happen.”
Simmons reminded the group, “Sixty percent of the tax increase will go to the general fund, and 40 percent has to be spent on promotion.”
