Oregon Public Broadcasting

The city of Bend is beginning to see some green shoots springing from its tourism industry. Hotels and resorts are reporting the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year increases in transient room tax collections. David Nogueras has more.

Next time you stay at a hotel, take a look at the bottom of your bill and you'll see the number we're talking about here. It's a tax. 

In Bend it's 10 percent of the cost of the room. 

It's also the most accurate indicator of the overall health of a tourism industry. Prior to Bend's six-month run, the city saw 21 consecutive months of declines in this tax. 

Doug LaPlaca is President of Visit Bend. He says the increase is a good sign for industries linked to tourism such shops and restaurants, even real estate.

Doug LaPlaca: "When we see rebounds in transient room tax collections, it is a safe assumption that we will also see rebounds in other sectors of the tourism industry."

LaPlaca says with just one month left to be reported in this fiscal year, Bend's tourism industry is just a whisker away from having a year in the black. 

A potentially huge accomplishment, he says considering initial estimates projected a 14-percent decline for the year.