HYANNIS – Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce officials are optimistic that state legislators could restore tourism marketing funding before the summer season.
Chamber CEO Wendy Northcross joined regional tourism officials from across the state in Boston last week to lobby lawmakers to return $7 million in statewide tourism marketing funds cut by Gov. Charlie Baker in December.
“They are going to look at the numbers of what February’s tax receipts are so that means maybe some action in March,” said Northcross. “By then we will have three months left in the fiscal year so they may put back half of what was cut but they can’t promise at this point.”
Even though legislators could not make any promises, Northcross said they were “sort of optimistic.”
“They also heard from a lot of people on the same day the same message and that never hurts,” she said.
The Chamber’s regional marketing grant was cut by 50 percent, effectively wiping out its spring and summer marketing campaign.
Northcross said 91 percent of businesses on Cape Cod have less than 20 employees and that the cuts will have an impact.
“They don’t have their own marketing dollars so they are depending on us for that firepower and we’re hearing the pain,” Northcross said. “We’re hearing the concern because spring marketing drives summer and that’s what we have lost.”
Northcross said she has empathy for the governor and that cuts need to be made, but that travel and tourism marketing is different.
In 2015 the travel industry generated over a billion dollars in revenue for the state, according to Northcross.
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
