Another internet hotel-booking suit thrown out
Orange County in Florida became the latest to be thwarted from collecting higher hotel taxes from online travel companies after a judge threw out a lawsuit brought by county officials.
The county contended the Internet hotel-booking agencies were not fully paying local taxes.
The dispute focused on the way online companies like Expedia and Orbitz calculate their tax payments. The companies generally negotiate lower rates with hotels for a large number of rooms then offer those rooms to customers at a higher price.
But the companies pay taxes to the county on the lower rate, saying the higher price the consumer pays is the charge of the service not the cost of the room.
Auditors have calculated that Orange County misses out on at least $5.5 million a year in hotel taxes because of online bookings.
The issue has been appearing all over the country with tourism officials usually on the losing end of the battle.
Orange County lawyers told the Orlando Sentinel they expected to appeal.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025