2008 Visitor Guide Contracts

Our 2008 Contracts can be completed online and/or printed out...

If your business is located within the Door County Tourism Zone* Click HERE for a Contract

If your municipality is not listed below, please Click HERE for a Contract

An Online version of the 2007 Visitor Guide is available on DoorCounty.com

The Door County Visitor Guide is the ONLY Door County publication mailed to potential visitors across the nation - free of charge - as well as being readily available all over the County once they arrive.   This is the official fulfillment piece of the Door County Visitor Bureau used to promote your Door County business to visitors, residents and members of the media.  It is THE preferred publication of Innkeepers across the County and can be found in nearly every room.  Not only does this publication expose your business to more potential customers than any other, it also works to promote Door County to the traveling public.  Not only are you getting "more bang for your buck", your participation also adds another reason for potential visitors to choose Door County for their next vacation.   

*The following municipalities have joined together to form the Door County Tourism Zone:

Door County Tourism Zone

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The following FAQ’s were provided by the Door County Tourism Zone on July 26, 2007.  Please contact the DCTZ directly for official answers.

1.   Q. What is the room tax and why was it implemented?

In 2006 the Door County Strategic Marketing Coalition commissioned a study to determine alternatives and options to offset the decline in tourism in Door County. The consultant’s report recommended a substantial increase in the funding for marketing Door County as a tourism destination. The following municipalities adopted ordinances over the past several months imposing a 5.5% tax on transient lodging. The room tax is authorized to be collected under Section §66.0615 of the Wisconsin State Statutes.

As of July 26, 2007, the member municipalities are as follows:

Town of Baileys Harbor

Town of Egg Harbor

Village of Egg Harbor

Village of Ephraim

Town of Gibraltar

Town of Jacksonport

Town of Liberty Grove

Town of Nasewaupee

Town of Sevastopol

Village of Sister Bay

Effective August 1, 2007

Town of Washington

2.  Q.  What do I charge room tax on?

Room tax must be collected on the lodging portion of any stay less than 30 consecutive days, including all amenities, such as breakfast, that are part of the regular rate.

3.  Q. What is the function of the Tourism Zone Commission?

The Tourism Zone Commission is a government entity created by the intergovernmental agreement (State Statutes Section §66.0615) and must comply with the laws of the State affecting public entities including open meetings and open records. The Commission is responsible for issuing the lodging permits, collecting the room tax, preparing and delivering all the required reports, contracting with a tourism entity (Door County Visitor Bureau) for the purpose of marketing the destination, approving the marketing plan and reviewing the performance measurements. A purpose of the Commission is to insure that the room tax funds collected increase tourism in member municipalities as measured by increased stays in lodging establishments.

4. Q.  Where do my room tax dollars go?

All of the room tax dollars are paid to the Tourism Zone Commission. The intergovernmental agreement that was part of the adoption of the tax split the total tax into 70% and

30% shares. The 30% share is distributed to the member municipalities. The 70% share is to be spent on marketing the member municipalities as a tourism destination.

5. Q.  What will the 70% share be spent on?

The Commission will contract with the Door County Visitor Bureau to develop and undertake a variety of marketing efforts designed to increase the number of overnight stays in lodging establishments in member municipalities. A maximum of 4% of the annual room tax collected in the Tourism Zone may be spent on administrative expenses of the Commission. The 4% comes out of the 70% the Commission retains to market the member municipalities. All the room tax revenue the Commission retains (less up to 4%) will be spent on marketing.

6. Q.  What guarantees do I get that my room tax collection data will be confidential?

First of all the data we are asking you to provide in terms of occupancy rates and lodging sales is essential to know if the marketing efforts of the Door County Visitor Bureau are working. We will keep your information confidential. State Statute Section §66.0615(3) mandates the confidentiality of all room tax information and provides for civil forfeitures if the confidentiality is broken. The Commission Intergovernmental Agreement also provides the following mandates: All Room Tax returns, schedules, exhibits, writings or audit reports relating to such returns, on file with the Commission and the municipality are deemed confidential, except the Commission or municipality may divulge their contents to the following, and no others:

a.  The person or his or her legal representative who filed the return.

b.  Officers, employees or agents of the municipal treasurer and the Commission.

c.  Other persons for the use in the discharge of duties imposed by law, or in the discharge of the duties of their office (unless otherwise prohibited by law) or by order of a court.  The Commission will only discuss individual lodging properties by name in Closed Session.  Lodging properties will be identified by number, not name, in Door County Tourism Zone Commission reports to member municipalities.

7.  Q.  When do I start collecting room tax?

You must start collecting the 5.5% room tax on May 1, 2007 even if you have not applied for or have not received a Lodging Permit.

8.  Q. When are the taxes due to the Tourism Zone Commission?

Room tax is due at the end of the month following the month it was collected.

9.  Q. What happens if I do not pay it, or do not pay it on time?

As with sales tax, there are penalties and interest due if the room tax is not paid in a timely manner, and the Commission will pursue enforcement. Delinquent returns are subject to a $25 late filing fee, with increasing forfeitures if the tax is not paid within 30 days after the due date.  Interest is 1% per month.

10. Q. Do I also have to be a member of the Door County Visitor Bureau?

The collection of the room tax is mandatory, but membership in the Door County Visitor Bureau is voluntary.

11. Q.  Will there be a change in the dues I/we currently pay the Door County Visitor Bureau (formerly known as the Door County Chamber of Commerce)?  

The Door County Tourism Zone Commission is an intergovernmental commission created by the member municipalities and has no role in establishing membership rates, services, or issues associated with the Door County Visitor Bureau. All questions regarding dues and services need to be directed to the Door County Visitor Bureau at (920) 743-4456.

12. Q.  We are going to become a “tax island” – 11% for sales tax and room tax combined seems like a lot. What do other tourism areas charge?

With sales and room tax combined, here are a few examples:

The term of the Door County Tourism Zone Commission Agreement is five years. After the first five years, any member municipality may withdraw, without penalty, from the Tourism Zone Agreement upon giving the Commission six months notice. However, upon withdrawal, the municipality shall convey to the Commission seventy percent (70%) of the room tax generated for the calendar year in which such notice was provided.

14. Q.  How is this going to really operate?

The Commission has retained the services of the Kerber Rose Accounting firm to create a database, collect all the permit information, payments and track compliance. The accounting firm will be handling all of the records to assist in maintaining the confidentially of the reports. The Commission will have all the financial transactions audited at the end of each fiscal year. The Commission will be meeting regularly to review general collection information and performance reports from the Door County Visitor Bureau. The Commission will be reporting on its activities annually to its member municipalities and lodging establishments on the activities undertaken, funds expended and the status of its goals. The Commission understands that this has started with short notice and will be providing additional guidance through mailings or on-line.

You can contact the Commission at P.O.B. 55, Sister Bay, WI 54234, phone number 920-854-6200 or by email at DCTourismZoneCommission@gmail.com.

Temporarily the Commission is using the Sister Bay web site at http://intranet.sisterbay.com to notice meetings, provide forms for downloading and other related

reference materials. Look in the left hand column for Tourism Zone Commission under Documents and Lists.

Additional Clarification for Innkeepers

1.      Additional clarification is needed on exemptions for 2007.

a.   Any signed contract that has been completed by invoicing and payment in full prior to May 1, 2007 (August 1, 2007 – Town of Washington) is an exemption for room tax.  A reservation with a deposit does not qualify for an exemption.

b.   Excerpt from the Tourism Zone Commission Agreement regarding exemptions for 2007:  “Any person or business…..will be allowed an exemption from the requirement to collect and pay Room Tax for any signed contract dated prior to the adoption of the Agreement in which the contract guarantees the lodging rates and the applicable taxes, where the transaction has been invoiced prior to the date Room Tax applies in such municipality.”

c.   The monthly room tax report will need to include a copy of the signed and paid contract to be an exemption and not included in the revenue subject to room tax.

 

2.      What if the customer is a non-profit entity?

a.   The non-profit entity should already be providing you with their tax exempt number to be exempt from sales tax.  They would also be exempt from room tax.

 

3.      Do you need to file a monthly report for the months you are closed?

a.   On your application you would have indicated the months you are open.  These are the only months that you will need to file a report.  If you do not have any rentals in a month you indicated you would be open, then a report will be required with zeros.

 

4.      Will monthly forms be sent out?

a.   No, a blank form was included in the original packet.  Copies should be made as needed for monthly reporting.  If another form is needed, it is available on  http://intranet.sisterbay.com in the left hand column under Tourism Zone Commission.  You may also call 854-6200 to request a copy.

b.   Please be sure to include your permit number on all reporting forms.

 

5.      Is on-line filing available?

a.   No, not at this time.  It is anticipated that additional features will be available in the future.

 

6.      Is annual filing available instead of monthly?

a.   No, currently the agreement calls for monthly reporting.  A system has been set up for seasonal reporting to avoid reports during closed months.  No additional changes have been anticipated until this first year is underway.