City Reorganizes Tourism for Economic Boost [VIDEO]

Press Release from the Sealy EDC:

In a decisive move to bolster tourism, the Sealy City Council, and the Sealy Economic Development Corporation’s (SEDC) Board of Directors convened in a Special Joint meeting and unanimously approved a strategic initiative. The SEDC will now assume management of the City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) operations.

This initiative, funded by the City’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) – a dedicated revenue stream derived from hotel and lodging stays, mandated by Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code for reinvestment in tourism promotion – is designed to amplify Sealy’s visitor traffic and in turn, drive economic development in the city. By streamlining the CVB under the SEDC’s purview, the city anticipates the organization’s forward-looking strategic planning to build a sustainable program that will benefit local hotels and lodging establishments directly for years to come.

 

 

Furthermore, the Sealy City Council has amended the City’s budget to establish the CVB as a designated special revenue fund. This action ensures adherence to the city’s procurement guidelines, while simultaneously enhancing financial transparency through monthly and quarterly reporting.

“Our goal is to maximize revenue by putting heads in beds and reinvesting those HOT funds to attract more visitors,” said Mayor Bilski. “This will boost local businesses and our overall economy.”

 

 

To support these expanded operations, the SEDC and the CVB Office & Visitor Center will be located within the Sealy Professional Building at 330 Main Street. The SEDC and CVB are committed to transparent communication, fostering partnerships, using technology to improve visitor experiences, developing a multi-year strategic plan, tracking performance, and adapting to new opportunities.

You can watch the meeting video below.