State Law: By law of the State of Texas, the City of Gonzales collects a Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) from hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts and inns. Under state law, the revenue from the HOT may be used only to directly promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry.
Chapter 351 of the Tax Code states that the use of HOT funds is limited to:
i) Convention Centers and Visitor Information Centers: the acquisition of sites for and the construction, improvement, enlarging, equipping, repairing operation and maintenance of convention facilities or visitor information centers, or both;
ii) Registration of Convention Delegates: the furnishing of facilities, personnel, and materials for the registration of convention delegates or registrants;
iii) Advertising, Solicitations and Promotions that Directly Promote Tourism and the Hotel and Convention Industry: advertising and conducting solicitations and promotional programs to attract tourists and convention delegates or registrants to the municipality or its vicinity;
iv) Promotions of the Arts that Directly Promote Tourism and the Hotel and Convention Industry: that the encouragement, promotion, improvement, and application of the arts, including instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture, design and allied fields, painting, sculpture photography, graphic and craft arts, motion picture, radio, television, tape and sound recording, and other arts related to the presentation, performance, execution, and exhibition of these major art forms, and
v) Historical Restoration and Preservation Activities that Directly Promote Tourism and the Hotel and Convention Industry: historical restoration and preservation projects or activities or advertising and conducting solicitation and promotional programs to encourage tourists and convention delegates to visit preserved historic sites or museums.
vi) Sporting Event Expenses that Substantially Increase Economic
Activity at Hotels: Expenses including promotional expenses directly related to a sporting event in which the majority of participants are tourists who substantially increase economic activity at hotels and motels within the city or it vicinity.