Discover Bella Vista to host public input meeting

Advertising and Promotion Commission working on strategic plan.

Discover Bella Vista, the city’s advertising and promotion commission, invites the public to attend an open input meeting to discuss the future of the commission.

The meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, at Bella Vista District Court, 612 W. Lancashire Blvd.

Discover Bella Vista is working with consulting firm Community Growth Strategies to create a strategic plan to guide its operation. This plan will become the blueprint to follow in order to maximize the future investment of A&P funds for marketing Bella Vista as a destination for travelers and tourists.

All residents and business owners are invited to attend this public meeting.

The Bella Vista Advertising and Promotion Commission was created by the Bella Vista City Council in April 2017. By state statute, a city’s council members can vote to enact the socalled “hamburger” and “bed” tax on prepared food and lodging stays of less than 30 days. The commission collects a one-percent tax on prepared food and two-percent tax on lodging stays and determines the use of these funds to promote tourism in the city. This can be in the form of advertising and promotion or grants to organizations holding events that are designed to draw visitors from out of the area.

The commission is made up of seven total members — four representatives from tourism-related businesses within city limits, two members of the city council and one resident-at-large. At least three of the four business owners or managers are required by law to be from lodging establishments or restaurants.

Though commissioners are appointed by the city council, the organization operates independently from city government. For information on the commission and its meetings, visit www.discover bellavistaar.com/about/ about-us/.