BURNET - On December 1, 2007 Judge Donna Klaeger and the Burnet County Commissioners announced the opportunity for tourism related event and facility coordinators to receive a Request for Funding Application from the County’s Hotel Occupancy Tax fund for the 2007/2008 fiscal year.

In 2004 Burnet County Commissioners’ Court approved collection of Hotel Occupancy Tax at a rate of 5%. Per state statute, this tax is collected by lodging venues in Burnet County’s jurisdiction from guests who spend the night in a hotel, bed and breakfast, vacation home or resort.

At the January 29, 2008 meeting of Commissioners’ Court applicants were awarded funding based on their demonstrable ability to increase overnight stays in Burnet County lodging venues. The following applicants received funding: Bluebonnet Blues & Fine Arts Festival, Burnet Cultural Arts Festival, Burnet Music Festival, Highland Lakes Art & Wine Festival, Lake Buchanan Conservation Corp., Memorial Day JamFest, LakeFest, Uptown Art Alliance, and the Marble Falls Chamber Music Festival.

Burnet County Commissioners’ Court wishes to congratulate these applicants, and encourage all members of our community to support our tourism related businesses and organizations in their efforts to promote tourism which is a vital resource in supporting our local economy.

Tourists not only visit our area to enjoy festivals and local attractions, but support our hotels, restaurants, retails shops and convenience stores, which in turn, provides thousands of jobs in Burnet County. Per the latest statistics provided by the Office of the Governor, destination spending in 2005 for Burnet County was approximately $50.7 million.

For more information please contact Teri Freitag at 512-715-5278, tourism@burnetcountytexas.org, or visit our website at www.visitburnetcounty.org.

The final opportunity to request event and facility funding to promote tourism with be on or about June 1, 2008. A press release to your local media source will be issued in April that will outline details.