Last year in Louisiana, a state law was passed that would allow for New Orleans hotels to impose a new 1.75 percent room charge to generate more revenue for tourism promotion. In order to pass, the law required representatives of more than two-thirds of the downtown hotels to vote in favor of it.
And according to this report from the The Times-Picayune, 95 percent voted in favor of the law, and the new charge will go into affect on April 1.
The number of votes given to each hotel was determined by the number of rooms at each property. The charge will apply in all New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau-member hotels except those in eastern New Orleans.
According to the report, the convention bureau will collect .75 percent of the assessment to promote the city as a convention venue, step up international marketing, and seek to attract increased air travel service to New Orleans. The tourism corporation will take .75 percent for domestic tourism marketing. The remaining .25 percent will go to city government for French Quarter infrastructure repairs and public safety.
