May was a good month financially for the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission.
At the commission’s regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, June 28, CAPC director Scott Bardin told commissioners that $28,392 more was collected in tourism tax than what was budgeted for the month, a 17 percent increase than what was anticipated.
“Total collections for the month of May for both food and beverage and lodging was $193,392 compared to the budget for those two categories, $165,000,” Bardin said.
Tax collections on food and beverages were $101,976 in May, $16,976 — or 20 percent — more than the $85,000 projected.
In taxes on lodging, the CAPC collected $91,416, $11,416 (14 percent) above the $80,000 budgeted.
For the first five months of 2023, the CAPC has received 13 percent more than projected, Bardin said, with $762,823 so far collected. The budget for the same period of time was $675,000.
As of May 31, the CAPC bank balance was $1,852,839.71, Bardin said.
“We’re in better shape than I anticipated,” said Chris Clifton, CAPC chair. “I thought it was gong to be a little rockier this year because we’re coming off two really hot years.
“I mean, I’m happy. I think it’s great.”
The CAPC collected 16 percent more in tourism tax in May than in May 2022, including 19 percent more on food and beverage and 21 percent more on lodging.
“I would say that we did budget conservatively,” Bardin told commissioners. “But, on the other hand, we won’t know until we get to the end of the year. But, with what we’ve got planned and now what we’re working on for the fourth quarter, for November, December, marching into January next year, I don’t see those numbers coming down.”
The total CAPC budget for 2023 was $2.3 million. For 2022 it was $1.796 million.
“So, that’s a $504,000 increase between the two years,” Bardin said. “For the month of May alone we increased quite a bit of money, so I think we did budget it conservatively. But again, we just won’t know until we get to about the fourth quarter.”
Bardin credited the increase in collections to different strategies in utilizing social media and making more connections in the community.
“I believe that with what we’ve done different this year versus last year, we have a lot more activities going on social media,” he said. “We have a lot more going on in our local businesses that’s being promoted. We have a lot of activities going on here in The Auditorium and we’ve got a lot of good connections in the business community. We’re working with them [asking] ‘what can we do to help you be successful?’ and yeah, that’s the difference.”
Clifton agreed. “Like you said, more and more things going on,” he said. “And a lot of credit goes to the community. Eureka Springs is like no other when it comes to putting on stuff. It’s really impressive. It really is.”
