Ohio2026Passed Legislature

HB138

HB138: Creating Tourism Promotion Districts

Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 4:32 AM

In one sentence

This bill allows cities, townships, and counties in Ohio to create special areas where lodging businesses pay extra fees to fund tourism marketing and improvements.

Allows local governments to form tourism promotion districts with specific boundaries that cannot overlap other similar districts.
Requires a valid request from one or more lodging business owners before starting the process to make or renew a district.
Mandates that officials create a detailed plan showing costs, fees, services, and improvements for each year of operation.
Permits these areas to charge lodging businesses an extra fee called a benefit assessment.
Sets rules for how long districts can last based on their funding plans or revenue bonds.

City councils, township trustees, and county commissioners who may create the districts.
Lodging business owners located inside the proposed district boundaries.
Nonprofit corporations hired to manage the money and run tourism projects.

The bill does not set a specific dollar amount for fees because that depends on future plans created by each district.
District boundaries cannot overlap with other existing tourism promotion districts.
Local leaders must get consent from neighboring areas if they want to expand a district outside their normal limits.

Plain language

Tourism promotion district: A specific area where lodging businesses pay extra fees to support local travel marketing and upgrades designed for them.
Benefit assessment: The fee charged to lodging business owners within the district to fund its activities.
District management association: A nonprofit corporation hired by local leaders to run tourism projects and manage funds for the district.

Official record

Source attached

Authorize the creation of tourism promotion districts

Official activity