Tourist‑tax competitiveness trap

Cities are increasingly plugging budget holes with taxes that fall mainly on visitors (hotel taxes, streaming, betting levies). Those taxes are visible to event planners and tourists at the margin, are volatile in downturns, and can erode a city's competitiveness for conventions and high‑value visitors. — If more cities follow this shortcut, it could hollow out long‑term local growth by driving away conventions and tourism while adding unstable revenue to budgets.