Albuquerque city councilors have voted unanimously in favor of Council Bill O-22-14 - sponsored by Councilors Isaac Benton and Brook Bassan - which will create a Tourism Marketing Distict to be funded by a 2% lodging tax, for a 5-year period beginning 1 July 2022.

Primary aim of the new District and tax is to increase overnight visitation to greater Albuquerque, and revenues to lodging places.

The lodging tax, which will be applied to the bills of guests of the approximately 150 hotels within the district, is expected to raise almost $5M annually, which will amount to a more than 40% increase to the marketing budget of regional DMO Visit Albuquerque.

Tax revenues will be used to fund promotions, marketing and communications in support of year-round marketing campaigns which the agency hasn't previously been able to afford.

Wording of the council bill suggests that along with hotels the new tax will also be applied to revenues of "all lodging businesses...available for public occupancy" - including short-term rentals - at some future time.