The Greensboro/Guilford County Tourism Development Authority – a public body that was created to “promote activities and programs which encourage travel and tourism to the area” – gets roughly 70 percent of its net proceeds from Guilford County’s occupancy tax.

 So, the Authority must get the approval of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners for its annual budget each year – something it’s seeking this week.

The county’s 3 percent tax is an add-on that applies to the rental of any room or accommodation by hotels, motels, inns, tourist camps and similar businesses.

In early April, the Tourism Development Authority board approved a fiscal 2024-2025 budget of $8,578,650, and the authority plans to adopt that budget during its June meeting if the budget gains the approval of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and the Greensboro City Council.

The authority is asking for $1,307,000 in salaries. That’s a 1 percent decrease from the current fiscal year – 2023-2024 – which ends on June 30.

Total revenue for the authority, from occupancy taxes in the city and county, is projected to be just over $8 million in the coming budget year, which is 21 percent higher than the Authority saw in fiscal 2023-2024.

The 11-member Authority consists of five board members who are appointed by the Board of Commissioners, five appointed by the Greensboro City Council and one member selected by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

The official job of the tourism authority is “to promote the prosperity, general interest and welfare of the City of Greensboro by encouraging and promoting attractions, facilities and enterprises in the area; and by promoting tourism and convention business within Guilford County for its economic betterment.”

On Thursday, May 2, the Board of Commissioners will vote whether or not to approve the Authority’s budget. Very few things make it onto the county commissioners’ agenda unless it’s known that the votes are there to approve a move.  However, it’s worth noting that this budget is listed on the agenda under New Business.

 Items under New Business actually get discussed, as opposed to the items on the commissioners’ Consent Agenda, which are all approved in one vote with no discussion unless a commissioner has concerns about an item and “pulls” it from the Consent Agenda.

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