Event funding applications being accepted

Hot Springs Travel and Tourism is currently requesting funding applications for special events in the coming fiscal year, which runs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Director Amanda Moeller explained the process generally begins in mid-January.

Applicants must complete an application for each event for which they are requesting funding, and the application must be accompanied by a budget. Moeller noted the money provided by Travel and Tourism must be used, 100 percent, for advertising, and following the event she sorts out if the money is spent the way stated in the initial budget.

If it’s a new event, a personal appearance before the Travel and Tourism Board is required, and all applicants must complete post-event forms to receive reimbursement funds.

With regard to the advertising, it must mention Travel and Tourism by name or logo. Local advertising within Hot Springs County will only be reimbursed at 50 percent.

The overall goal of special events, Moeller said, is to bring people to Hot Springs County. Therefore, several criteria are taken into account when considering funding applications. First and foremost is the event must take place in the county. Other criteria take into consideration whether an event would increase hotel occupancy, the number of day trippers or the number of overnight stays during the off-season of October through May. Moeller noted the 21 Days of Christmas is an example of an event that benefits the county in the off-season.

Another consideration is whether an event provides visitor attractions and/or promotes area attractions, such as the annual car show being in the Hot Springs State Park. The combination of the Gift of the Waters Pageant, Kiwanis Craft Fair and Big Horn Basin Folk Festival in the park is another example, and this combo also hits on the criteria of employing partnerships among events.

Other criteria include whether the event is new or has a proven track record, a proven return on investment and whether an event would increase the number of repeat visitors. Moeller noted return visitors are the “bread and butter” for tourism.

For many events, Travel and Tourism is the sole source of money for their advertising budget. Moeller noted, however, she does not oversee the advertising itself though if she sees good venues she will recommend them. Different events have different needs when it comes to advertising, she said, and all of the organizations do an outstanding job with the funding provided. Currently this fiscal year, which ends June 30, there were 18 special events with $39,620 budgeted.

Looking ahead, Moeller said she’d like to fund more events, and would like to see more partnerships among groups for their events, especially if they are in the same venue. She would also like to see more applications for events at Hot Springs County Fairgrounds. Moeller emphasized keeping the Chamber informed of events, as this allows for some free advertising on the Chamber’s online calendar and the tri-fold list of events seen at local businesses. It also helps to keep events from overlapping.

Moeller also commented with regard to HB 149, which would address Lodging Tax Distribution. Under the bill, local option lodging tax collections would be split 50/50 with half going to local government, a change from the current 90/10 division — 90 percent for local promotion and 10 percent for administration. However, the bill failed 8-1 in the House Revenue Committee.

Moeller said the Travel and Tourism Board is grateful the bill died, as it would’ve meant a tremendous cut to the budget used to promote the county.