PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 1, 2023
Efforts to promote Portland as a vacation spot desperately need more funds if it’s to compete for visitors year-round, consultants say – and they’re hoping hotel guests will foot the bill. Visit Portland, the destination marketing organization for Greater Portland, wants to create a tourism development district, which would charge a guest fee at hotels throughout the city. The fees would primarily go to Visit Portland and more than double the agency’s current annual budget. At hotels with 40 or more rooms, the district would charge about 1.5% of a guest’s bill.