From Harford County government:
Annapolis, MD—The Maryland Tourism Council and Maryland Destination Marketing Organizations have organized Tourism Day, Friday, Feb. 5 in Annapolis to connect tourism professionals with their elected officials in the legislature to heighten the awareness of tourism’s economic impact in the State and to ask for full funding of the $6 million mandate for the Maryland Tourism Development Board to market the State’s tourism products, services, and industry.
The Maryland Office of Tourism is responsible for marketing the State’s many tourism assets and building the State’s visibility as a desirable tourism and meeting destination and for the last year has operated on a budget of just $2.7 million, the lowest marketing budget since the early 1980’s. Maryland not only competes with surrounding states for tourism and travel dollars but tourism within Maryland is a significant job and revenue provider which is challenged when there are not sufficient funds to market “America in miniature,” a popular nickname for Maryland.
Tourism Day on Feb. 5 includes a day of meetings organized between tourism professionals and specific legislators as well as an agenda of presentations by leaders of the Maryland Tourism Council, Maryland Destination Marketing Organizations, Maryland Tourism Development Board, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, and members of the Maryland tourism Industry. These presentations will take place in the Miller Senate Office Building meeting rooms, Miller West I and II.
Mary Jo McCulloch, President and CEO of the Maryland Tourism Council says, “We have been urging MTC members for the months prior to Session beginning to make their voice heard and Tourism Day is yet another opportunity for those who feel the impact most to speak to their individual legislators about the critical role that State funding plays in the overall success of Maryland tourism.”
Harford County will be sending approximately 25 tourism professionals to meet with the Harford County Delegation on Tourism Day which will be held at the Miller Senate Building from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Visitors spend over 300 million dollars in Harford County businesses annually.
The Maryland Tourism Council and Maryland Destination Marketing Organizations are advocates for member businesses, properties, products, and services that contribute to Maryland’s hospitality and tourism industry and Tourism Day is a critical event in communicating the value of the state’s tourism industry to public officials and legislative decision-makers.
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