The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau is funded through a 3 percent bed tax on each hotel and bed and breakfast room in the county.

With that money, the bureau promotes the county, encouraging visitors to come here whether for a convention or to hike through Moraine State Park or to play golf, etc.

The tax money is administered by the county treasurer.

Treasurer Diane Marburger said 98 percent of the money, which is collected monthly, goes to tourism, while 2 percent stays with the county as an administrative fee, which is up to $40,000 annually.

In 2010-11, the tourism bureau received $1,031,875 generated by the bed tax.

That figure is expected to rise in the 2011-12 fiscal year as more hotel rooms are opened.

The tax works like this:

A person books a hotel room that costs $100 per night. The visitor will be charged $103 to cover the room and bed tax.

According to the state’s 4th Class County Code, two thirds of that money must be spent on countywide tourism promotion, while one third must be spent on events, Marburger said.