Local Push Encouraged For Tourism Bill

The Wenatchee Valley Chamber Of Commerce is urging support for two bills in Olympia that would create a statewide tourism marketing program.   The Chamber's Jerri Barkley says Washington is outspent to promote tourism to out of state visitors.  Barkley says neighboring states like Oregon, Idaho and Montana, in fact every state outspends Washington which ranks dead last in statewide tourism marketing.  The competition for out of state visitors is getting stiffer with California doubling it's statewide tourism marketing budget, according to Barkley.

The proposed legislation could also help with disasters like the fires that have devastated Lake Chelan's busy summer seasons

Barkley is encouraging local residents to demonstrate buy in for the bill and urge legislators to tell budget writers that statewide tourism marketing is a major priority.

The Washington Tourism Alliance reports SHB1123 or SSB5251 have moved out of policy committees, but have not moved from the fiscal committees.  Because the tourism bill is considered "necessary to implement the budget", it will remain alive until the state budget is passed. The tourism bill will need to be passed to direct the use of an appropriation for the tourism program in the budget. The budget is often one of the last bills passed in the legislative session.