Airbnbs discussed at tourism meeting

A concerned citizen, Sherman Skelton, attended the September meeting of the Travel and Tourism Board to present his thoughts about new developments in the Airbnb world.

Skelton said, “I was reading through your minutes of your last meeting. A couple of your guests that were here last month have some proposals in front of the planning commission. I went to last month’s meeting. I am coming to you guys to see if there’s a way to find a collective voice within the county for anybody in hospitality or lodging. Prior to going to the planning commission meeting, I looked up on Airbnb and presently there are around 40 Airbnbs in Hot Springs County. And I know just from our standpoint where our Airbnb is, I feel like having grown up in Hot Springs County, I think we’re presented with an opportunity that I’ve never seen in my lifetime.” 

Skelton went on to say, “With the number of people coming in, with some of the other groups, such as the Hot City Alliance and things, expanding some of our recreational opportunities here, I think in my opinion, Thermopolis and the county have a golden opportunity. And I just want to make sure that maybe collectively we can find a voice within all personnel that are involved in lodging and hospitality, and that includes motel owners and privately owned Airbnb fees. Because I know it, in my opinion, being a singular voice of one lodging, it would have a minimal impact. But I think collectively there’s a greater impact.”

Skelton added, “I grew up in farming and ranching and I feel like there’s still this 20th-century mentality towards what the potential is here. And I’d like us to move into the 21st century. And I felt that at the planning commission meeting, especially in opposition to some of the development, I think we’re missing some of the numbers on the tax revenue from property taxes that are generated and how improvements lead to a much greater tax base. In reports to the commissioners, I was just curious on the lodging tax funds, if they’re presented in a way of just hotel numbers or are they presented in the way that there’s a substantial amount of tax revenue that is generated, I believe, by these singular properties. And I guess, it would be a request that, if they could be emphasized, that those numbers are representative of not only motels but also these privately owned enterprises.” 

Skelton then said, “I’ve talked to several people in town that own Airbnbs. We would like to form a group with motel owners as well, to have some of that discussion. I do like the direction the planning commission is going because I do think that there needs to be some policy, there needs to be some guidelines. And I just want to make sure that we have a voice at that table when those policies are being made and when they’re being discussed, because I’m not sure that all of the voices are representative, really, of what’s in the best interest of the county, and I realized that I probably have a biased side on that and input, but like I said, from a historical basis, I think I’m seeing some growth in areas that I’ve really never seen nor probably would have ever thought I would see.”

Tourism director Jackie Dorothy then said, “Well, I could definitely interject right here and let you know that your timing is perfect, because last month, one of the things we discussed doing was creating a subcommittee with Airbnbs. Treasurer Audra Dominguez has an Airbnb and she’ll be heading that committee. We want to meet at least four times a year, if not more, depending on your schedules. We would love for you to join that because that is exactly what I was looking at.”

Dorothy went on and explained that the numbers they receive for lodging tax, Airbnbs outside the city limits, can be discerned. But Airbnbs within the city’s limits are not discerned because of the combination of hotels and other lodging, including Airbnbs. Dorothy added that she wants to have Airbnbs have a voice and forming the subcommittee would allow it.

Skelton replied, “I think that’s a great idea. And because what I’ve seen over the last five or six years is the average length of stay is changing as well. It started at two to three days and now we’re seeing five or six days as a norm. And what that tells me then is what we’re doing is that we’re able to capture people longer. And those people that are going to pools are going to restaurants. So I would like to be able to emphasize the trickle-down effect of that and how those monies are staying in the county.”

“My biggest concern is we have an opportunity right now, but I do feel that if we mishandle this, that we will lose these people, we’ll lose them to Cody. We’ll lose them to Worland. We’ll lose them to Sheridan, to some of these other communities that may be a little bit more receptive, but also have similar outside recreational opportunities.” 

“To me, it’s not that much different from Dude Ranches. I’ve read recently where one of the dude ranches west of town was talking about ‘selling an experience’. And that’s what I see really, our opportunity and responsibility is. I think Thermopolis is an experience as much as anything. I just don’t want to see us miss that opportunity, because I think we’re in a window right now, and if we mishandle that, we could easily find ourselves outside looking in.”

Chairman Carl Leyba and Skelton then discussed the importance of having further conversations about potential lodging businesses. They mentioned a campground in Washakie County in Tensleep Canyon and described it as “somewhat of Woodstock.” Skeleton said, “There’s value in having those discussions and guidelines and policies. What I think we’ve run into historically is that they haven’t been clearly defined. And sometimes those decisions then seem arbitrary. So I do think that there is a lot of value in that. I’ve always found Bo Bowman [County Planner] to be a great resource to make sure that things are done correctly.”

Leyba added, “As you know, the lodging industry and the tourism industry, is the second leader in the state with revenues due to our state of Wyoming, therefore, I think our county has been pretty good about recognizing that, especially with the hot springs, the two pools, that they’re generating the revenue that they do for the state. And the money turns three times, according to the statistics that I’ve read over. Within the town, once a guest does come, a patron does come to our town three times over, spending that money. You have gas, you got food, you’ve got extras, and then we have swimming on top with lodging. I mean, we’re very fortunate in our community to have that luxury.”

Leyba and Skelton then discussed the opportunities of Airbnb and also concerns, such as misuse of a property or quality issues. Skelton continued and praised the commissioners and planning committee to have their checklist on properties. The checklist addresses issues such as water, wells, septic, and other items. Skelton said, “To me, it just makes sense.”