How can I use the tax to estimate direct economic impact?
Table I. Nebraska travel expenditure patterns. Public transportation 14.1% Auto transportation 29.3 Lodging 12.5 Food service 26.2 Entertainment/recreation 8.5 General trade 9.4 Source: Travel Industry Association of America, 2005. Provided by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development – Division of Travel and Tourism. A rough estimate of tourism’s economic impact on a county can be calculated using lodging tax measures. To make this calculation, divide county lodging tax revenues by the county lodging tax rate, and then divide that number by the percentage of tourism spending in the county that goes for lodging. The percentage of tourism spending that goes for lodging can come from local surveys of visitor spending or from a statewide survey of visitor spending. There is one cautionary note for those wishing to use the statewide expenditure patterns: The expenditure patterns estimated on a statewide basis may be different than the expenditure patterns in a local county. For insta
