Citizen.com - Shaheen Pitches Tourism Promotion In Meredith

News Article

Citizen.com - Shaheen Pitches Tourism Promotion In Meredith

By GAIL OBER
gober@citizen.com

U.S. SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN addresses an outdoor "town meeting" on the shores of Meredith Bay Monday to talk about a bill to fund tourism promotion for every state in the country.

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen was joined at Church Landing by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Monday afternoon to promote federal legislation to encourage more people to vacation and visit the U.S.

The Tourism Promotion Act would create public-private partnerships to promote American tourism and, according to Shaheen, is scheduled to be the first piece of legislation discussed when the Senate convenes in September.

Funding through a $10 charge on all visas to the U.S., except for Canada, Shaheen and Klobuchar said the measure is capped at $100 million and the money will go to promote tourism in all 50 states and to add personnel to visa processing offices in countries where travel to the United States is popular, such as Brazil and China.

It is sponsored by 53 senators from both sides of the aisle and has passed in the House of Representatives.

"This is about real jobs," said Klobuchar, whose home state of Minnesota also shares a border with Canada and sees millions of tourists annually.

"We literally spend millions of dollars on worms for the fishing industry," Klobuchar said.

Shaheen said the United States has done little to promote tourism since 9/11 while other countries are spending millions on tourism promotion.

"Overseas travelers stay longer, spend more money and, most importantly, go back and bring a very positive view of our country," Shaheen said.

Rusty McLear, the owner of Church Landing, led off the remarks by telling the audience that the New Hampshire tourism industry alone employs 69,000 people and the rooms-and-meals tax brings $212 million into the state coffers, with non-residents responsible for $132 million.

"Visitors make 33 million trips annually to our state and are responsible for $4 billion in direct spending," McLear said.

Also at the speech were state Commissioner of Cultural Resources Van Mcleod, Jim Morash, the captain and co-owner of the MS Mount Washington, and Greg Goddard, the general manager of Gunstock Mountain Resorts.

State Sen. Deb Reynolds, D-Plymouth, and state Rep. Kate Miller, D-Meredith, also attended.

Source