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Article Synopsis: Lawmakers consider bill to bolster state tourism
The state of Washington is on the way to revitalizing its tourism industry that shows little growth ever since the elimination of state tourism office in 2011. The corresponding bill which is now making its way through the Senate would support necessary marketing and promotion of the Washington state as an attractive tourist destination (Baumann).
Currently Washington is the only state with no state-funded tourism office. This leaves near 155,000 people employed in the tourism industry with no financial support of their promotional activities. Back in 2011 the state allocated $3.8 million for such activities. For comparison, the surrounding states and Canada currently spend from $7 million to $60 million each year marketing to visitors.
Now the envisaged $7.5 million in the first year is expected to come from the five tourism related industries: $2.4 million from lodging, $2.1 million from food service, $1.4 million from retail, $975,000 from attractions and entertainment, and finally $600,000 from transportation.
The beneficiary of these funds would become the Washington Tourism Alliance, originated after the elimination of state tourism office. With its current budget of near $1 million per year the organization succeeded in repairing the local tourist website and producing the official visitor guide of the state.
Monique Trudnowski, the owner of Tacoma restaurant who was among the first to join the tourism alliance organization, provides an example of how tourism and food industries can play as partners and drive benefits for each other. She believes the new bill is important as it will allow the alliance and the Revenue Department work more closely in determining the optimal decisions for the growth of tourism industry in the state.
Works Cited
Baumann, Lisa. "Lawmakers consider bill to bolster state tourism." 3rd March 2014. 2014. Web. 5 Mar 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20140303/wa-xgr-tourism/?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=business>.
