Delaware County Council is set to vote July 16 on increasing the county hotel tax from 3 percent to 5 percent starting in January 2026, writes Kathleen E. Carey for the Daily Times.
The increase would also affect Airbnb and VRBO.
The tax bump is timed to take advantage of large regional events coming to the area.
“There’s a lot going on in 2026 in the region. The visitation numbers will be tremendous. We see that as an opportunity to collect a solid number of taxation dollars from those folks and put those to work for the county,” said Rob MacPherson, chief marketing officer for Visit Delco.
Delaware County’s current hotel occupancy tax collects about $3.2 million annually, which is spent to promote tourism. That amount could nearly double with a rate increase.
Some of the notable events scheduled for 2026 include the FIFA World Cup, the America250 Semiquincentennial, and the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
Delaware County started with a 1 percent hotel tax in 1986, 2 percent in 1991, and 3 percent in 2010, where it has stayed.
The Pennsylvania legislature allows a maximum tax rate of 5 percent, which some surrounding counties have implemented.
Find out how a hotel tax increase would impact Delaware County in the Daily Times.
