Tourism numbers for St. Charles on the upswing

Tourism in St. Charles is on the rise, and city council members took action Monday night to try to keep it that way.

Tax dollars from residents fund the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau. In recent years, that funding has hit $520,500. The bureau then uses that money to leverage additional grant money for its activities.

But getting that funding, both from the city and the state, has required a bit more of a show-me-the-money reckoning with aldermen since the economy tanked.

In 2009, hotel tax income to the city’s coffers plummeted 15 percent. In 2010, that revenue stream drained to a trickle with another 8.9 percent drop and a new recent low mark of $1.58 million for the city. Last year saw a very small rebound. But Amy Egolf, the executive director of the bureau, told aldermen Monday that a full rebound appears to be on the way.

“Our hotel tax receipts are that the 2008 level when the economy started to drop,” Egolf said. “I’ll be happy when they reach 2007 levels.”

The bureau expects the city will reap about $1.84 million in hotel taxes by the end of this fiscal year. That’s a 14 percent increase from 2011.

That emboldened Egolf to ask city officials to keep tax funding for the bureau at the same level it’s been for the past three fiscal years.

“The visitors bureau lady is here, once again, with her hand outstretched,” Egolf said. “Tourism is extremely crucial to the city of St. Charles.”

Egolf also came armed with statistics to show her bureau does its job when it comes to fueling that tourism.

Temple University conducted a study of 10,000 people who requested leisure information from the bureau. That study showed 64 percent of people who requested information actually came to visit St. Charles. Those people spent between $324 and $444 during their stay. About 91 percent of the people who visited left satisfied. The study estimated the economic impact of those who actually came to St. Charles who were part of the study contributed up to a $3 million benefit to the area.

Alderman Dan Stellato called those statistics “amazing” and “phenomenal.” He and the rest of the aldermen unanimously agreed to fund the bureau at the same $520,500 level as in recent years.

Another group of people who have their livelihoods funded by tax dollars received good news Monday night. All Teamsters union members will receive a 3 percent raise this year and another 3 percent raise next year per a new agreement between the union and city officials.

With the raises, the lowest-grade employee in the union will earn a minimum of $23.38 per hour and a maximum of $31.18 per hour by the end of the agreement. The highest-grade employee will earn a minimum of $28.45 per hour and a maximum of $37.94 per hour by the end of the agreement. City officials had already budgeted for the possible raises.