By Gallup Sun Staff
Dear City Council, City Staff, and Lodger’s Tax Committee members:
We fully support the City’s mandate to ensure Lodger’s Tax funds are used strictly for “Heads in Beds” through out-of-market recruitment. However, a proposal to blanketly disqualify local media ignores the modern reality of how tourists consume information and how digital and print footprints actually work.
I submit the following points for your consideration:
1. The “In-Stay” Extension Strategy: A tourist already in a local hotel is the most likely candidate to stay an extra night. Local media (print, radio, and digital) is the primary source of “in-stay” discovery. By eliminating local visibility, the City risks losing vital “shoulder-night” revenue. A visitor who discovers an additional event through our platforms is a visitor who bookends their trip with extra nights.
2. Digital Reach Beyond City Limits: Our media presence is not confined to Gallup. Between 25-30% of our web traffic originates from outside the county, including key feeder markets like Albuquerque, Denver, and Phoenix. Denying promoters the ability to use our platforms effectively “geo-fences” their events away from the very tourists the City seeks to attract.
3. Search Engine Authority (SEO): When potential tourists search for “Gallup Events” on Google, our news agency is often at the top of the results page. By funding promoters to advertise on our highly visible platforms, the City leverages existing SEO infrastructure that would cost thousands more to replicate through cold Google Ads.
4. The Ambassador Effect: Our local readers are the primary hosts for “Visiting Friends and Relatives”—a major sector of the tourism industry. Local awareness ensures residents act as effective concierges, funneling their guests toward tax-generating events.
Event promoters know what is best for their events. A percentage-based requirement for out-of-market spend is a fair compromise, but we must acknowledge that Gallup serves as a vital regional hub.
Our success is built on visitors from surrounding areas like Apache County, Ariz., and Cibola and San Juan, N.M. Let’s ensure our tax-use policies reflect the actual travel patterns of our region.
We suggest a balanced percentage approach that prioritizes out-of-market reach while maintaining the local visibility necessary to convert visitors into multi-night stays.
