St. Catharines visitors to pay tourist tax starting Aug. 1

People visiting St. Catharines will soon have to pay a tourist tax.

Council approved Monday a municipal accommodation tax (MAT) that will allow the city to collect money from visitors and reinvest it in efforts to promote tourism and attract world-class events to the community.

Beginning Aug. 1, visitors will have to pay a four per cent MAT per room, per night on hotel, motel, bed and breakfast and short-term rental operators.

A newly created municipal services corporation called Tourism St. Catharines will ensure the majority of the money from the program is directed to investing in tourism.