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Braselton plans visitors bureau to market town
Five-member board would be named by Braselton Town CouncilBraselton is planning to establish its own visitors bureau to use the town’s hotel/motel tax funds to promote tourism for the growing municipality.
The Braselton Town Council will ask the Georgia General Assembly this session, which began Monday, to adopt local legislation for the proposed visitors bureau.
If the General Assembly approves the measure and the Braselton Visitors Bureau is created, its mission would be to “market for people to come visit Braselton,” said town manager and clerk Jennifer Scott.
Braselton already receives a five percent hotel/motel tax for room lodging from the town’s three hotels — The Inn at Chateau Elan, Holiday Inn Express at Chateau Elan and the Best Western Braselton Inn on Zion Church Road.
Of that five percent hotel/motel tax, three percent is used by the town’s general fund and two percent is funneled into Braselton’s tourism fund.
Town officials estimate that the hotel/motel taxes will raise $585,000 for the 2006 fiscal year, which began July 1, 2005, and ends on June 30, 2006.
The three percent hotel/motel tax accounts for 15 percent of revenue for the town’s general fund budget this fiscal year. That tax may bring $350,000 to the town this fiscal year, according to Braselton’s budget.
The two percent hotel/motel tax must be used for specific purposes to promote tourism in Braselton.
This year, Braselton officials expect to use the two percent hotel/motel tax — which is expected to reach $235,000 — on $95,000 for marketing, $65,000 for public relations and special events, $40,000 for festivals and hardscape improvements, and $25,000 for transportation improvements, among others.
Braselton has a joint marketing arrangement with Chateau Elan, the town’s largest hotel.
Chateau Elan has 332 rooms and suites, and a 25,000 square-foot conference center at its 3,500-acre Braselton site.
The proposed Braselton Visitors Bureau would include the town manager, one council member, two business people and a representative from Chateau Elan. Scott said Thursday that Doug Rollins, vice president of sales at Chateau Elan, would serve on the appointed board.
Town attorney Gregory Jay said even if Braselton contracted with one of its four county chamber groups to promote tourism, the funds wouldn’t come directly back to the town. Braselton is located in Jackson, Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties.
Jay stated in a memo to the town council that Braselton “has historically kept its funds to promote tourism and trade throughout the town and support its businesses and hotels.”
Scott said the proposed visitors bureau would be responsible for handling the town’s two percent hotel/motel tax funds.
The members of the visitors bureau will be appointed by the town council once the General Assembly approves the proposal, she said.
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