"Destination fee?" Just stayed in a hotel and they slapped a $1.00/day

[raccoon]

"destination fee" onto my bill.

Anyone heard of this?

You take that $1.00/day fee, per person, and multiply it by all the people who stay there
in a year, and it's probably enough to pay for grooming the CEO's dog(s) all year.

[rurallib]

1. I believe all these odd taxes on out-of-towners started

back in the '60s when some local schmuck realized cities and counties and yes states could fleece the sheep from other areas to build their football stadia and baseball temples.
So then it was a matter of coming up with bogus names to call these taxes, such as sheet washing tax.
Then the locals don't scream about taxes and the motel can claim low rates while doubling the price with their own add--ons.

The traveler has little to do but bitch and pay.

[cbdo2007]

2. I hate the "Resort Fee" of $10 that a lot of places are adding on now.

When they aren't even really "resorts" or offer special resort activities, particularly in the wintertime. I'd rather they just add the $1.00 (for you) or $10 (for me) into the rate of the room and don't tell me about it, it's just stupid that they have to disclose all these fees when it's really all just the price of the room from my perspective.

[yeoman6987]

3. The fuel costs on cruises are ridiculous too

I mean they know that they need fuel to move the ship. To pay for a cruise you already pay enough. They add 10 dollars a day or more just for the privilege of being on a cruise.

[yeoman6987]

4. If it is a tax that is fine

but if it is a fee for just being in the room, I don't agree with it. The tax would go to the community to help run the city. That is what we all want. However, if it is just to allow the CEO to pad his bottom line, that is outrageous.

[Glitterati]

5. Orlando, home of Disneyworld has been doing this for years.

And the fee is more like $13.00 per day.

All of Florida does this. Any tourist destination does so.

Hell, even bum fuck Georgia adds a fee to rental cars and hotel rooms for the "honor" of visiting our city of Atlanta. (Not that the fees add a lot to the income - who the hell visits Atlanta for anything?)

[Travis_0004]

6. Most of the time it is not going to the hotel

It usually goes to the government, or a hotel association. The fee is then used to attempt to attract conventions, or other large groups (who are then likely to stay in hotels)

[Sedona]

7. That fee goes to support local infrastructure

In Sedona, AZ where I lived for 20 years, on any given day there are twice as many tourists as local citizens there. The locals would be taxed out of existence if they were to provide police, fire, roads, and the rescue teams for the Darwin award winners who get lost in the outback.

http://www.greatsedonahikes.com/hikingdangers.html