Believe it or not, there are states where there are no tourism improvement districts. This is changing as the advantages of TIDs materialize across the country. Newport, Rhode Island recently established New England’s first TID. Now another city is staking its claim as a leader by creating the first TID in their state: Baltimore, Maryland!
“The establishment of Baltimore’s Tourism Improvement District is a significant milestone for both the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland,” said Amy Rohrer, President & CEO of the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association. “Baltimore’s TID is the first in Maryland and is a prime example of how a tourism board and the hotel community can effectively work together.”
With an assessment rate of 2% of gross short-term room rental revenue, the BTID budget for December 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 is expected to be nearly $4 million. This funding will provide a huge boost in destination sales and marketing efforts and position Baltimore as a premier travel destination. It will also fund activities to capture bookings in the meetings marketplace, secure new business opportunities, and ensure industry growth in the years ahead.
Visit Baltimore’s CEO, Al Hutchinson, says, “This will be a game changer for the tourism and hospitality industry in Baltimore. We are thankful for the support of Mayor Young and the local hotel community. This process has been a prime example of the great things we can achieve as a community when we all band together.”
