CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An extra two percent assessment fee on hotel rooms in the city starts being collected as of Monday.
The extra money, agreed on by hotel operators, will help in marketing Corpus Christi around the world.
"This assessment will be for any hotel in the city limits of Corpus Christi that have 40 rooms or more," said Brett Oetting president and CEO of Visit Corpus Christi.
Oetting said the extra $3.5 million will carry word of the city in marketing to adjoining states, across the nation and initiate an international marketing campaign to bring more tourists to the Coastal Bend.
Charlie Bhakta, a local hotel operator, also sits on the new Tourism Public Improvement District board along with other hotel operators and says they would like to see a lot more visitors in the traditionally slower off season.
"During the off season most of the hotels run around 60 percent occupancy. So yeah. That additional business will be great for the entire community."
The reinvestment zone was approved by city council back in June. Bhakta said the City will be able to reach those they haven't been able to.
"They can use to attract new groups. Sports groups, film crews, just basically tap into a broader outreach that they haven't been able to do so," Oetting said.
He adds the money will also help establish commissions who will focus on bringing specific kinds of events to our area.
"We've never had a sports commission. There's never been a real serious effort on film and music. There's never been an effort to attract corporate clients," Oetting said.
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