As explained in last week’s introduction to the lodging tax, Fremont County collects a 4 percent lodging tax on all short-term (less than 30 days) stays in hotels, motels, dude and guest ranches, cabin rentals, campgrounds, or Airbnb properties.
In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the Wind River Visitors Council collected $727,606 in lodging tax for its budget. The Wind River Visitors Council uses 75 percent of those collections to contract services—local whenever possible—to promote tourism for the entire county, including the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Wind River Country marketing and advertising programs range from a successful website WindRiver.org to helping tour operators find routes through Wind River Country. E-newsletters, digital campaigns, and print advertising reach niche markets like snowmobilers, fishermen, and travel writers. Promotions also include a comprehensive calendar of events, social media presence, press relations, and brochures distributed across the nation. Finally, $25,000 and $20,000 for the Fremont Air Service Team for Riverton Regional Airport air service marketing has been included in the past two years’ budgets, respectively.
Because the WRVC, a Joint Powers Board, hires no employees or provides health benefits, rents or owns no offices, and contracts with local talent and services, only 5 percent of lodging tax collections are spent on board and administrative expenses, accounting, and office services.
To stay updated on the daily and headline work done to promote Wind River Country, follow the Wind River Visitors Council facebook page or request to be added to the Wind River Visitors Council’s e-newsletter to the tourism industry.