Why Tourism Matters

FIND AND CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS:

Visit www.leg.wa.gov and select ‘find my district’ tab
Call the legislative hotline at 800-562-6000
Click here to find your legislator’s email address

We need your help! The Washington State legislature begins a special session on Monday, May 13. The primary reason for the special session is to agree to and pass a budget for the coming two years. The Legislature must do this by June 30. WTA needs your help to let your legislators and budget negotiators know the importance of our request for bridge funding to underwrite the basics of a marketing program in 2014 and 2015 which would include our website, postage for mailing the Washington State Visitors' Guide, operation of a call center, research, and international marketing. The budget passed by the Senate only allocates $200,000 for tourism. The House approved budget contains $1 million for tourism. We support the House level of tourism funding, so it is essential that we ask the House to fully fund our request.

We've provided a letter below that you can customize in contacting your legislator, or you can call the legislative hotline and leave a message for your representative. If your representative is a Democrat please ask them to let Rep. Ross Hunter and Rep. Jeff Morris and Sen. James Hargrove know they support the request, and if your representative is a Republican, ask them to talk to Sen. Andy Hill, Sen. John Braun and Rep. Gary Alexander to express your support.

Your help is essential in expressing your strong support for this one-time public investment in tourism promotion.

Dear Representative _____________:

In 2011, as a result of legislative action, the state tourism office closed. We are the only state without a statewide tourism marketing program, yet tourism is the fourth largest industry in this state. In 2012, the tourism industry employed over 153,300 people, created $4.7 billion in earnings and generated $16.9 billion in direct visitor spending. Tourism put over $1 billion in state and local tax coffers.

To fill the void, the Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) was formed. This private industry organization is providing a minimal marketing effort to maintain a presence and keep our state on the radar screen of tourists.

The WTA is requesting a one-time appropriation for the 2013-15 biennium. The purpose of this request is to provide for the basics of a statewide tourism marketing program until we get a mechanism in place to finance such a program from industry assessments. This appropriation request would allow the WTA to continue, and in some instance put in place, the elements of a statewide marketing program. Funding will go to website development, postage for fulfillment pieces, operation of a call center, research, and international marketing - all of these items are essential to promoting tourism in Washington State.

We ask that you encourage your budget negotiators to agree to the level of $1 million that was adopted by the House in its budget. Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,