Tax dollars flow, room demand rises in Branson

by Jan K. Allen

SBJ Contributing Writer

Branson is gearing up for another big season with tourist dollars pouring into the area through visitors from all over the world.

Reports from Smith Travel Service show room demand rose 4.02 percent overall in 1998 compared to 1997.

More than 1 million visitors came from less than 100 miles away in both '97 and '98, and between 700,000 and 800,000 traveled 100 to 200 miles to get to Branson. About 1.5 million came from 200 to 300 miles away, and slightly under 2 million came from outer markets in '98 compared with 2 million in 1997.

The Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce estimates a total of more than 6 million visitors each year, not counting day-trippers from the surrounding area. Approximately 6 percent of this total came in by chartered buses, according to Dory Allen of the chamber.

Branson claims more than 40 theaters, 30,000 restaurant seats, three factory outlet malls plus a variety of smaller malls and shopping centers.

The biggest tourist draw of all the attractions is the theaters. Most out-of-area visitors come for an average stay of three to four days and see as many shows in the same time frame.

Shopping is second to the shows in popularity in the off-season months, usurped by theme parks during the summer months. Theme parks reach their highest number of visitors in the summer peak season, with the exception of November and December, when people stream in for the annual Festival of Lights.

Other attractions include dining and activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and sight-seeing.

The city of Branson collected an aggregate total sales and tourism tax of nearly $20 million in 1998. These funds are used for promotion and to make improvements to the infrastructure.

Stone and Taney counties have raked in another $18 million in revenues as their share of the tourist dollar.

Of the city's $9.3 million-plus tourism tax total, 25 percent is earmarked for chamber marketing and promotion, according to Branson City Manager Jerry Adams.

The other 75 percent is used for sewer and water improvements, Adams said.

Adams added that 1 percent of the sales tax goes to the city's general revenue fund and 0.5 percent is used for road improvements.

In the past seven years, Branson has built or improved 17 miles of roads within the city to the tune of $37 million.

"We expect continued growth in 1999," Adams said.

He said theater reservations are already up and promoters are eagerly watching for and beginning to see the effect of the Miss USA Pageant broadcast in February. City offices have received inquiries from Illinois, Wisconsin, California and Michigan since the pageant.

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