PITTSBORO - The Chatham County Board of Commissioners have decided not to raise the lodging occupancy tax from 3 percent to 6 percent, as thecounty manager's budget proposed.

"The commissioners received valuable feedback from lodging owners and other concerned residents," Chairwoman Sally Kost said.

The room occupancy tax is paid on overnight lodging, such as hotels and inns, with all revenues required to be spent on activities to attract more visitors. The funds are managed by the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), which promotes tourism countywide.

"We know that Chatham County needs to enhance its efforts to attract more overnight visitors," said Commissioner Tom Vanderbeck, who is the board's liaison to the CVB. "The county will work with the CVB to try to find other sources of funding to help make this happen, because it benefits the lodging establishments, retailers and other aspects of our economy when more people come here and stay longer."

Occupancy tax revenues currently support various tourism promotion activities, such as promoting coverage in travel magazines and news media, developing and distributing materials and e-newsletter that promote the county as a desirable destination, hosting an updated website, assisting local tourism-related businesses in their marketing efforts and participating in local and regional partnerships.

Vice Chairman George Lucier added that "the county encourages owners of lodging facilities to forward their ideas on what might be done to further promote overnight visitors."

Those with suggestions can contact the CVB at 919-542-8296 or email neha@visitpittsboro.com.

The Board of Commissioners recently designated various types of tourism, including tourism related to nature, agriculture and cultural arts, as an important element of its economic development strategic plan.

An annual study commissioned by the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development and conducted by the Travel Industry Association has found that tourism's economic impact in the county increased 32.7 percent from 2004 to 2008. The 2009 results are slated for release in late August.

The latest report (2008) showed that the overall economic impact of tourism in the county was $25.35 million.

It also showed that tourism generated 170 jobs in the county, $3.27 million in payroll and $1.45 million in tax revenues, a tax savings of $31.86 per resident.