Rep. France: Tourism Industry – Significant Part of the Connecticut Economy

MYSTIC – State Representative Mike France (R-42) recently participated in a listening tour held by the Connecticut Office of Tourism (COT) at the Hilton Mystic. The tour provided key stakeholders of the state’s tourism industry with information on how the economic sector is doing despite budget cuts that eliminated broad-based advertising and put a strain on other marketing tools.

“Tourism is a significant contributor to the Connecticut economy, accounting for approximately $14 billion in total sales and almost 83,000 direct jobs, or just over 5% of our workforce,” said Rep. France, member of the Legislative Tourism Caucus. “Governor Malloy increased the hotel occupancy tax by 3% in 2011, over the objections of the hotel industry, stating at the time that it would be used for promoting tourism in Connecticut. This year, however, the Tourism District budget was eliminated, so this new revenue stream now goes to the General Fund and is not substantially supporting the promotion of tourism. We have so many historic, entertaining, and educational attractions here in Southeastern Connecticut – think of how much we could benefit from sharing that with others. The question is now how to support this industry with significantly reduced state funding – a constant challenge for our local businesses.

“This is another example of why we should not authorize new or increased taxes and fees,” continued Rep. France. “The Governor and Democrat-led legislature have routinely convinced our taxpayers to accept increasing taxation with assertions that the revenue will be used for a specific purpose, only to eliminate the
funding years later to use it for some other purpose… not unlike Lucy pulling away the football as Charlie Brown runs up to kick it. We do not need to take more money from our residents in the form of new or
increased taxes/fees until we demonstrate responsible actions with what our taxpayers have already provided. We need to ask ourselves the question, ‘What is the appropriate role of state government?’ The answer
to that question will provide better answers to what services the state should be paying for with taxpayer dollars. We are not having the right discussion, which is really about being good stewards of the revenue
that taxpayers have entrusted us with and controlling spending to allow residents to keep more of their hard-earned money to spend as they choose.”

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut announced in a press conference just before the listening tour that they have created an Eastern Connecticut Regional Tourism Committee (ECRTC) – which is to be merged with the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau and partnered with COT – tasked with maintaining and growing tourism in Southeastern Connecticut. The hope is that this committee will help the state’s tourism industry to continue to thrive without state funding.

Current COT statistics show that hotel occupancy and attraction attendance in Connecticut recently decreased by approximately 1.5%. However, online news articles, websites and social media visits regarding the tourism industry have increased. It is therefore a goal to take that outreach success and make it more efficient at actually bringing tourists to the area.

Through the listening tour, COT made marketing services available to eligible businesses and organizations such as museums, galleries, historic sites, theaters, hotels, campgrounds, fishing vessels, restaurants, shopping and members of the Connecticut Antiques Trail. As part of the COT campaign to bring more visitors to the state, properties and corporations can – upon being listed under an association with the COT – take advantage of access/opportunities to be a part of state-wide marketing and press materials/resources, newsletters, social media accounts/posts, open houses, educational events and information services.