Comparisons are based on pre-pandemic data
Visitor-driven tax revenues for May 2021 mostly increased compared with pre-pandemic figures, according to data recently released by the city of Avalon.
Love Catalina Island (the former Chamber of Commerce), also known as the Cataalina Island Tourism Authority shared Avalon Finance Dirctor Matt Baker’s comments on the numbers. “TOT [transient occupancy tax] exceeded pre-COVID May 2019 by over 60% and exceeded pre-COVID JUNE averages by around 10%,” according to Baker.
He was apparently refering to the May 2021 figures for hotels, property managed and single vacation rentals, which totaled $687,243.
“Both hotels and vacation rentals were up significantly, with hotels up by almost 50% and vacation rentals up over 100%. Early reporting suggests June 2021 TOT will be similarly strong,” according to Baker.
Sales tax numbers weren’t as good. According to the Avalon Visitor Driven Revenues report for May 2012 through May 2021, in May of this year decreased 18.9% compared with pre-COVID numbers.
Admissions tax, which included harbor admissions, increased 46.1%.
Harbor use fees increased 22.7%.
Wharfage fees for cross channel carriers increased 22.7%.
There was no change to whafage fees for cruise ships—there hasn’t been any cruise-ship related revenue since March of 2020.
The economic impact of the absence of cruise ships is noticeable. (According to the Visitor Driven Revenues report, in 2019 wharfage fees for cruise ships totaled $745,646).
Mooring fees increased 20.5% in May 2021.
