Wyoming already charges a 5% lodging tax on hotels, motels, rentals, and more. That breaks down to 3% heading to the State’s Office of Tourism, and 2% staying right here in Teton County. 60% of the revenue for the 2% tax is earmarked for Jackson Hole’s Tourism Board, and the rest is reinvested to mitigate the impact of visitors.
Now, hold onto your hats: Teton County officials are flirting with the idea of adding another 2% local lodging tax.
No, you didn’t read that wrong; that is double the local take, all in the name of keeping up with rising costs and funding tourism-smart projects. A special vote was tabled this summer, but the conversation got punted to next November. Talks will percolate during the off‑season. Cue cozy winter fireside chats with town councils.
Why? With construction costs soaring, caps on property tax revenue, and a growing “tourist-burden vs. local-pockets” conversation, leaders see the extra lodging tax as a way to sustain services without hiking property taxes, which, let’s face it, would make homeowners clutch their wallets harder.
So…what’s a visitor to think?
Will that extra 2% feel like pocket lint in a luxury accommodation or a bump that might make you sniff and mutter, “Honestly, you get what you pay for….views, vibes, and wildlife.”
Either way, it’s a clever (and cheeky) move. There is a tipping point here when it comes to taxes and fees. Just ask Las Vegas, which has seen a massive drop in visitors over the past few years. I am not comparing Jackson clientele to Vegas, but the principle of fee after fee, along with years of inflation, will reach a breaking a point, even in Jackson Hole.
AntlersArch founder and the voice behind Teton Tattle.
