BEAUFORT, S.C. (Dec. 15, 2021) – At its meeting on Dec. 14, City Council approved allocating $22,068 from its hospitality tax revenues to the Beaufort Downtown Merchants Association, the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), and Friends of the Spanish Trail.
The Downtown Merchants Association and BAHA made a joint proposal to the City for $22,000 to fund collaborative efforts such as First Friday, Live After 5, Sip & Stroll – recurring and special events designed to bring people to the City’s downtown core, and to help in the marketing of downtown Beaufort as a family-friendly destination. These two organizations will receive $18,068.
Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail requested $6,426.40 to fund navigational (wayfinding) signs in the downtown Marina area to direct visitors to the trail. This organization will receive $4,000.
A City ordinance requires 1.1% of budgeted hospitality tax revenue to be allocated annually to non-profits that promote the downtown economy and tourism.