Visitors vanishing

COEUR d'ALENE - Chambers of commerce and other organizations promoting tourism in North Idaho were awarded grants from the Idaho Travel Council again this week, but the amounts were down from previous years.

The news was not unexpected, however.

"The economy has not been that great," said Katherine Coppock, manager of The Coeur d'Alene Convention & Visitor Bureau. The award from the council this year was $347,000, down from $385,500 in 2009 and the $407,000 received in 2008.

The Post Falls Chamber of Commerce also was awarded a grant of $57,200, also down from the $63,387 received in 2009 and $69,190 in 2008.

"It is down considerably from last year, but we had a heads up going in," said Pam Houser, president and chief executive officer of the Post Falls chamber. "The bed tax is down all over."

A 2 percent tax on lodgings is charged in Idaho, paid by travelers and collected by the state's hotel, motel and private campground owners. Total collections for fiscal year 2010 were $6,263,000. In fiscal year 2008 bed tax collections were $7,363,850. Funds are disbursed with 10 percent to administration of the tax, 45 percent to fund travel promotion statewide and 45 percent to the region from which it came as travel and convention promotion grants.

The Idaho Travel Council granted more than $2.5 million in tourism marketing funding to nonprofit organizations through the Idaho Regional Travel and Convention Grant Program at their annual summer meeting held in Sun Valley this week. North Idaho's total take was $583,803, down from $648,112 in 2009. The most ever received by the region was $669,003 in 2008. Those amounts include smaller grants to groups such as the Idaho Bed & Breakfast Association and Idaho Ski Area Association.

Eligible award recipients include nonprofit local and regional tourism development organizations such as chambers of commerce and convention and visitors' bureaus. The organizations use their awarded grant dollars to promote cities, towns and regions of the state as tourist destinations. Program elements are varied but often include print and electronic advertising, brochures, travel shows, public relations, direct mail, industry research and the creation of websites.

"This is a remarkable program which leverages creative ideas and the 2 percent lodging tax revenues into marketing dollars for the communities of Idaho. My compliments to the Idaho Travel Council for their diligence in reviewing and awarding these funds that are vital for statewide economic sustainability and growth" said Karen Ballard, administrator for the Division of Tourism Development.

Other North Idaho grants went to the North Idaho Tourism Alliance/Sandpoint Chamber, which received $66,253, down from $73,700, and the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, which was awarded $98,374, down from $109,300 in 2009.

"It's a Catch-22," Houser said. "In times when you need marketing the most, you have less."

It means the different organizations will need to look at more creative ways to market the region, and find areas where efforts are duplicated to better use the money, she said.

"We need to look at more collaboration," Houser said. "We need to look outside the box."

Tourism is a more than $3 billion dollar industry in Idaho and building Idaho's economy by increasing visitor expenditures throughout the state is the goal of the Idaho Travel Council and the Tourism Development Division.

The funding is integral to ongoing marketing efforts, said Todd Christensen, president and CEO of the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce. The grant funds are leveraged by about 100 percent with partners to maximize effectiveness, he said.

"We realized the available revenue has gone down, and took it into consideration in our request," he said. "We appreciate the partnership with the state."

Coeur d'Alene continues to see an increase in visitors and expects the trend to continue throughout the year, Coppock said in an e-mail.

"Although the economy is not as robust as in years past, tourism in Coeur d'Alene remains strong and viable," she said. "The CVB and its board of directors recognize the need for an effective, year-round marketing program. A strong marketing program targeting several key markets has helped bring visitors to Coeur d'Alene year after year."