BLAIR LEE III, Acting Governor

2995

(House Joint Resolution 104)

A House Joint Resolution concerning

Tourism in Maryland

FOR the purpose of requesting that the Governor appoint a
Tourism Advisory Commission to advise the General
Assembly and the Governor of the actions needed in the
area of tourist development and to provide the
Department of Economic and Community Development with
certain services; specifying the membership and
functioning of the Commission; and requesting the
Department of Economic and Community Development to
provide secretarial assistance for the Commission.

WHEREAS, The average American man, woman, and child
makes two trips away from home each year, spending an
average of 9 days away from home and traveling an average of
1,900 miles; and

WHEREAS, The American travel     industry, taken as a

whole, is one of the top three   industries in the United
States, generating 96 billion dollars last year as a result

of personal travel alone, a greater   amount than was spent by

consumers of clothing, accessories,   jewelry, drugs, and the

professional services of doctors,   dentists, and hospitals;
and

WHEREAS, Travelers in this State spent 1.7 billion
dollars in 1976, contributing 86.5 million dollars in State
taxes, in return for a State investment of $700,000; and

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay, the State Park system, the
attractions and festivals in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Ocean
City, and the proximity of the Nation's Capital make
Maryland prime territory for tourist development; and

WHEREAS, Maryland's tourist development program has
been grossly underfunded, with the Division of Tourist
Development having the resources to operate only a bare
minimum of tourist programs, and with the Division's
advertising budget being affected with particular severity;
and

WHEREAS, Maryland's tourist development program has
been given a low priority within the Department of Economic
and Community Development; and

WHEREAS, Maryland is one of only three States that do
not have permanent welcome centers; and

WHEREAS, Maryland's neighboring states each spend more
than one trillion dollars on tourist development, taking
potential tourist business away from this State; and