WHY IS THE SEDONA CHAMBER’S TOURISM BUREAU FAKE?
When you follow the dots and make the connections the Sedona chamber’s so called “Tourism Bureau” is a facade, a shell game utilizing taxpayers money to build their assets, and armies, making their regional members wealthy under this name of “Tourism Bureau”. Here’s why:
When we talk in tourism language, and government language the definitions need to be apples to apples. These definitions need to be clear to ensure that the benchmark, accountability, legal aspects or method of tracking is correctly and properly aligned.
Who can use a name like Chamber or Tourism Bureau? Anyone. Can you call your group a Destination Marketing Organization also known as a DMO? Most certainly, in fact you can pay to get certified by a Destination Marketing Association. Anyone marketing a location can call themselves a DMO.
What is the a Transient Bed District (TBID) or a Business Improvement District (BID) and does Sedona have them? NO! The Sedona Area Communities have no TBID or BID.
Sedona has no Tourism District, no Tourism Authority. Maricopa County has Proposition 302 that created an Authority, in 1999 Maricopa voters approved the Proposition 302 initiative, which includes funding to promote tourism in Maricopa County.
Some businesses inside the City of Sedona are imposed a City sales and or Bed Tax. What type of businesses that are imposed is mandated by law. For example Hotels, restaurants and retail have such taxes while Real Estate, Tour companies that don’t rent equipment do not.
A Transient Bed District is defined as an area or district within a City, County, or Area Community. Each state defines the laws in creating a TBID or BID. For Example California districts are also subject to other laws to ensure approval by business owners paying the assessment and the accountability by the managing body to those business owners.
Tourism improvement districts are formed with a majority of assessed businesses consenting and the local government’s approval. Those states like California, Montana, Nevada, Washington State generally require a submission of petitions from business owners who will pay 60% or more of the proposed assessment. Is the city of Sedona operating the city imposed taxes under these guidelines? NO The business owners who were imposed the bed tax increase inside the city limits never officially voted. The regional Chamber and their affinity group, lodging council made this agreement with the City of Sedona without a formal business owner vote. Why is this wrong?
The Chamber and its members are primarily located outside the IMPOSED tax city limits. Sedona Area communities have more Hotels outside the city limits than inside the city limits.
Chamber members are NOT in Tourism
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