08/30/2017

Your Support is Needed

Please Provide Your Support of Online Travel Company Tax Parity

At the recently-held Ohio TourismWorks Legislative Day at the Ohio Statehouse, one of the key topics presented to lawmakers was the need for Online Travel Company Tax Parity.  Legislation to accomplish this is currently under consideration in the General Assembly.  Will you support partners throughout the travel economy by adding your business or organization to the growing list of supporters? 

 Learn More About the Issue

In our state, a disparity currently exists in the way that different entities selling accommodations remit tax to the State of Ohio and local taxing jurisdictions.  Part of the revenue from taxes on hotel stays provides the essential resources needed for local convention and visitors bureaus for the work they do in bringing more business and more economic activity to our communities.

Hotels remit taxes based on the full price consumers pay for the room. Out-of-state online travel companies (OTCs) sell the same room on the same night for the exact same price as the hotel, but they often remit the tax only on what is akin to a “wholesale” rate they pay hotels for the room.  They keep the difference even though they collect it from consumers.  This deprives the state, local governments and CVBs of tens of millions of dollars in revenue.

The Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association, a partner in Ohio TourismWorks, has consistently advocated for legislative action to clarify the Ohio Revised Code to make the intent of the law clear – that online travel companies should remit taxes on hotel stays at the full retail rate paid by the consumers who use OTCs to book hotel stays.

State Rep. Dave Greenspan (Westlake) has introduced HB 571 to create Online Travel Company Tax Parity.  Ohio’s associations representing local governments, including counties, municipalities and townships, have joined the coalition in favor of HB 571.  The Ohio Travel Association, Ohio Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and other travel economy partners have joined the effort and are listed as supporters of this legislation as well.

Would you join us by allowing your organization to be included in the coalition listing, as one of the leading voices of Ohio’s travel and tourism sector?

Information explaining the current effort is enclosed.  Please forward your approval and full contact information to Joe Savarise, Executive Director, OHLA at joe@ohla.org no later than Monday, 6/18.

Together, we can take a step forward for travel and tourism and provide our local partners more resources for their key economic development and job-producing activities.

Thank you for your support,

Melinda Huntley
Executive Director