Bedford County commissioners approve hotel bed tax increase

3% hike will put levy total at 5%

BEDFORD -- The Bedford County commissioners unanimously approved a 3% increase in the county's hotel bed tax rate during their meeting Tuesday after what was a difficult deliberation, said Commissioner J.R. Winck.

The new 5% tax rate more than doubles the previous 2% rate, and is designed to generate more funds for the Bedford County Visitors Bureau, which is the county's designated tourism promotion agency.

The new rate will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and will generate about $900,000 in additional revenue for the tourism agency.

According to commissioners Chair Mike Stiles, the bureau agreed to provide the commissioners a comprehensive one-, three- and five-year plan that outlines the intended use of the new funds and its efficacy.

The commissioners will review this rate "several times per year," Stiles said, in order to reflect the changing conditions of the economy.

Stiles did not offer a specific economic indicator that would automatically trigger a rate decrease. Instead, the commissioners would carefully consider a number of metrics in any future rate revision.

The tourism agency will develop "opportunities for sharing information and ideas" with local stakeholders to maximize the use of the funds, Stiles read from a prepared statement from the commissioners ahead of the adoption vote for the increased rate.

A portion of the revenue will be used for a "massive upgrade" to the visitor bureau's website, Stiles said, which will track 17 different metrics of user engagement.

The new comprehensive plan will incorporate a strategic advertising plan with enhancements to the visitor bureau's digital, print and social media ad buys, in addition to new signage posted throughout the county to help travelers.

According to Stiles, the guidelines and application forms for the initial round of program grants supported by the new funding will be released in August 2026.

The decision to support the tax hike was extremely difficult, Winck said, having grown up in the motel business.

What ultimately swayed his mind was the potential economic growth that could be precipitated with the new funding, he said.

"A lot of good can come from this, and it can attract people to the area," Winck said. "If we don't preserve what we have we'll lose it."

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.