The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 3 : Executive

Chapter 047 : Commerce and Community Development

Subchapter 004 : Departments, Divisions, and Boards

• § 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.)