§ 2476. Department of Tourism and Marketing
(a) Creation. The Department of Tourism and Marketing is created within the Agency of Commerce and
Community Development. The Department shall be administered by a Commissioner.
(b) Tourism marketing. The Department shall be responsible for the promotion of Vermont’s travel, recreation,
and cultural attractions through advertising and other informational programs, and
for provision of travel and recreation information and services to visitors to the
State, in coordination with other agencies of State government, chambers of commerce
and travel associations, and the private sector in order to increase the benefits
of tourism marketing, including:
(1) enhancing Vermont’s image as a tourist destination in the regional, national, and
global marketplace;
(2) increasing occupancy rates;
(3) increasing visitor spending throughout the State; and
(4) increasing State revenues generated through the rooms and meals tax.
(c) Economic development marketing. The Department shall be responsible for the promotion of Vermont as great place to
live, work, and do business in order to increase the benefits of economic development
marketing, including:
(1) attracting additional private investment in Vermont businesses;
(2) recruiting new businesses;
(3) attracting more innovators and entrepreneurs to locate in Vermont;
(4) attracting, recruiting, and growing the workforce to fill existing vacancies in growing
businesses; and
(5) promoting and supporting Vermont businesses, goods, and services.
(d) On and after July 1, 1997, all departments engaging in marketing activities shall
submit to and coordinate marketing plans with the Commissioner.
(e) The Department may conduct direct marketing activities pursuant to this chapter or
10 V.S.A. chapter 27 and shall work to increase marketing activities conducted in partnership with one
or more private sector partners to maximize State marketing resources and to enable
Vermont businesses to align their own brand identities with the Vermont brand, enhancing
the reputations of both the business and the State.
(f) Building on established, successful collaboration with private partners in travel
and tourism, agriculture, and other industry sectors, the Department shall have the
authority to extend its marketing and promotional resources to include partners in
the arts and humanities, as well as other partners that depend on tourism for a significant
part of their annual revenue.
(g) The Department shall expand its outreach and information-gathering procedures to allow
Vermont businesses and other interested stakeholders to comment on the design and
implementation of its tourism marketing and economic development marketing initiatives
and also to provide ongoing feedback to the Department on the effectiveness of its
initiatives. (Added 1987, No. 83, § 4; amended 1991, No. 145 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1995, No. 186 (Adj. Sess.), § 24, eff. May 22, 1996; 1995, No. 190 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1999, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 215b, eff. May 29, 2000; 2007, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 23; 2009, No. 33, § 83; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G22, eff. June 1, 2010; 2015, No. 51, § D.2.)