Publication: NJBiz
Date: Mar 26, 2009

Gov. Jon S. Corzine convenes his annual Conference on Tourism in Atlantic City from April 1 to 3, and local tourism groups are gearing up by asking the goveor to increase their funding in 2011. These local offices, known as destination marketing organizations, argue that more funds will translate into more tourism ‹ and more tax dollars for Trenton. Corzine¹s budget proposes keeping funding level, at $1.9 million, in 2010 for the state¹s 17 DMOs ‹ 16 of which have asked the goveor to quadruple that funding to $8 million in the 2011 budget. These DMOs, which include the Skylands Tourism Council and the Southe Ocean Convention and Visitors Bureau, this week joined forces and issued a ³declaration of destination² that seeks to boost their funding to $8 million in the 2011 budget. A spokesman for Corzine said passing a 2010 budget is the top priority now, and the question of funding in 2011 won¹t be addressed until next year. Corzine¹s 2010 budget proposal cuts tourism overall, from $10 million to $7.5 million ‹ though funding for DMOs was not cut this year. The DMOs also issued a white paper that argues the $8 million in revenue will generate $100 million in tourism spending and $20 million in state taxes. Jim Kirkos, president of the Meadowlands Liberty and Convention and Visitors Bureau, said DMOs are ³a growth engine whose results extend far beyond improving our state¹s economy and into supporting our heritage, our environment and our image.² A spokesman for Meadowlands Liberty, Ron Simoncini, said the group¹s Web traffic is flat at a time when tourism overall in the U.S. is down 27 percent because of the recession, suggesting that the state funding is helping to support the tourism economy. In his budget speech, Corzine defended his cut in overall tourism spending. ³We didn¹t want to cut funding for tourism advertising and beach replenishment, but we chose to maintain safe neighborhoods, safe highways and homeland security,² he said. NJBIZ, Copyright © 2009, All Rights Reserved.