Jefferson County tourism spending increases in 2011

Visitors spent more money in Jefferson County last year than in 2010 helping to create jobs and increased sales tax revenue.

According to a report released by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, visitors to Jefferson County spent $36.55 million in 2011, up by 7.38 percent from 2010. Overall, visitors spent nearly $7.3 billion statewide in 2011.

In Jefferson County, those dollars generated 350 jobs, with a payroll income of $5.32 million, as well as $1.65 million in state tax revenue, according to the report.

According to Fairfield Iowa Convention and Tourism executive director Rustin Lippincott, the hotel/motel tax in Fairfield went up 11.9 percent in 2011.

But tourism affects more than just the hotel/motel tax; it impacts the entire community, said Lippincott, listing hotel and motel revenue, food and beverage sales, gas sales and general retail sales.

?They?re spending money in our community, and it helps all of us,? he continued, pointing out tourism also provides jobs.

?People working at gas stations, restaurants, the convention center ? partly comes from tourism. ? We live a lot larger than our 9,000 population.?

Lippincott said plans are to continue promoting Fairfield as a unique destination, with the Maasdam Barns, the Maharishi University of Management and the city?s national attention from Oprah?s visit and AMC?s new ?Road Show.?

?We?re a pretty cool place to come and visit,? he said.

In the report, Jefferson County ranked higher than all but one of its surrounding counties in terms of travel-related revenue. Wapello County ranked 18th with $75.28 million while Jefferson County ranked 28th with $36.55 million, followed by Henry County at 48th with $19.83 million, Washington County at 59th with $16.07 million, Davis County at 85th with $6.36 million, Van Buren County at 89th with $6.02 million and Keokuk County at 94th with $4.73 million.

Of the state?s 99 counties, Polk County took the top spot with more than $1.63 billion. Linn and Scott counts took the second and third spots, with $6.83.78 million and $566.63 million, respectively.

Adams County took the bottom spot with $2.61 million.

According to the Iowa Economic Development Authority, More than 63,000 Iowans have jobs, and state residents save more than $300 million dollars in taxes annually thanks to the tourism industry in Iowa.

?When people think of travel, they naturally think of mountains and beaches,? acknowledged Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. ?But tourism is big business in Iowa, too.?

The millions of people who come each year to attend a family reunion, enjoy a long weekend or participate in a conference or sporting event spend money and grow Iowa?s economy. Generally, a traveler is defined as anyone who goes more than 50 miles, one way, from his or her home or who spends the night away from home.

?Travelers are the perfect taxpayers,? Durham said. ?They come to our communities for a short time and leave billions of dollars behind. Traveler spending pays for public services like schools and government programs, yet out-of-state travelers don?t utilize these services. Travelers pay taxes so we don?t have to.?

In 2011 travelers in and to Iowa generated $328.8 million in state tax revenue, enough to pay the salaries of every firefighter, police office and sheriff in the state of Iowa.

The entire report, ?The Economic Impact of Travel on Iowa Counties,? is available online at www.traveliowa.