Lodging tax revenues for January up over 2012

Lodging tax revenues for the first month of 2013 were up compared to January of last year county-wide. According to the latest report from the Cook County Auditor-Treasurer’s office, the year-to-date totals were up 5.4 percent across the board for reporting tourism organizations.

Lutsen-Tofte revenues were up 12.7 percent from last January and it was the best January since 2009. Grand Marais revenues were up 20.5 percent from this time last year. The Gunflint Trail revenues for January were up 6.5 percent.

The Auditor’s office emphasizes that not all businesses report taxes at the same time each year and revenues are an “apples-to-apples comparison.” That means only businesses which reported lodging tax revenues both in January of this year and last year are included in the monthly accounting.