HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2157

BYRepresentatives Rasmussen, Cantwell, Moyer, Youngsman, Tate, Walk, Wineberry, Kremen, Raiter, Dorn, R. Meyers, Baugher, Rayburn, Silver, Schoon, P. King, Winsley, Inslee, Rector, Ferguson, Doty, Fraser, Spanel and Vekich

Establishing the Washington tourism policy advisory committee.

House Committe on Trade & Economic Development

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Cantwell, Chair; Wineberry, Vice Chair; Doty, Ranking Republican Member; G. Fisher, Kremen, Moyer, Rasmussen, Raiter, Rector, Schoon, Tate, Walk and Youngsman.

House Staff:Bill Lynch (786-7340)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRADE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

FEBRUARY 28, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the state and includes a wide variety of businesses.  Tourism can be defined generally as the business of attracting, accommodating, and serving visitors who travel for business or pleasure.

The Tourism Industry Assessment Committee recently found that no interagency framework exists to coordinate state programs and regulations which affect the tourism industry. The committee also recommended an evaluation of the effectiveness of the regional partnership program for tourism and the design of more precise measures to evaluate the effectiveness of tourism marketing and product development programs.  In addition, the committee recommended the creation of a statewide tourism policy advisory committee to oversee the state's tourism development programs.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The Washington State Tourism Policy Advisory Committee is established in the Department of Trade and Economic Development. The Advisory Committee is responsible for recommending policies and advising the department on the future direction of tourism related program development in the state. The Advisory Committee is composed of 17 members appointed by the Governor, and must represent a broad cross section of community interests, rural and urban areas, and the various geographic regions within the state. The Governor designates one private sector representative to be a co-chair and the Director of the department serves as the other co-chair. Staff support is provided by the department.

An Interagency Committee is created to coordinate state agency programs with tourism development impacts. The Interagency Committee must include representatives of the following departments:  Trade and Economic Development; Community Development; Transportation; Natural Resources; Agriculture; Fisheries; Wildlife; Ecology; Parks and Recreation Commission; State Convention and Trade Center; State Arts Commission; Winter Recreation Commission; Columbia River Gorge Commission; and the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. The Interagency Committee is chaired by the Assistant Director of Tourism Development within the Department of Trade and Economic Development. The committee is directed to identify tourism development activities which may have potential adverse impacts and develop strategies to minimize problems which may arise.  The committee is also required to develop a plan that identifies areas of cooperation between the agencies.  The plan must include a review of the need to develop public facilities such as visitor information centers, public restrooms, and directional signs in smaller communities and scenic areas.  The committee must consider the potential for developing these facilities in cooperation with and ancillary to local businesses. The committee must report its efforts to the legislature by December 31st each year and include recommendations for improving state tourism efforts.

The department is required to review the state's regional tourism program. The review must include: information on program purposes; costs; local and private funds leveraged; benefits derived from the program; coordination with local economic development efforts; and recommendations for the future direction of the program. The department is also directed to research and present recommendations on performance measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of the state tourism development programs. The review of the performance measures must include measures used by the private sector, other state and local tourism programs, and the recommended frequency and estimated costs of utilizing the methods of measurement. The findings and recommendations must be reported to the legislature by December 31, 1989.

Legislative findings on the role of state tourism programs are added to the Department of Trade and Economic Development's statutory responsibilities for administering the state tourism programs.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  A technical amendment was made to the provision which adds legislative findings regarding the role of state tourism programs.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 28, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Becky Bogard, Washington Lodging Association; Barbara Brooner, Department of Trade and Economic Development; and Joe Daniels, Unique Northwest Country Inns.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill provides some policy direction to the state's tourism efforts and adopts some of the recommendations of the Tourism Industry Assessment Committee.  There is a strong need for the department to develop better performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of state tourism programs.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.