A study, to be unveiled in September, will estimate the economic impact of tourism in the state.
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Tourism businesses in Connecticut are hoping to make the state’s marketing budget into a campaign issue in the November gubernatorial election.
Chris Regan, owner of Olde Mistick Village and chair of the Eastern Regional Tourism District, has commissioned an economic impact study that will be unveiled in September.
Gov. Ned Lamont is running for re-election to a third four-year term.
The study, from the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis, will look at data from restaurants, hotels, venues and other tourist attractions to establish their contribution to economic activity in the state.
State funding for tourism marketing has fallen each year since it received a big federal boost in fiscal 2022, when the budget was $12.1 million.
The budget for fiscal year 2026 is just $4.5 million, 63% below the level just three years ago.
Regan says that doesn’t come close to recognizing the return on investment that the tourism industry represents.
“At the end of the day, we're big business, and we got to be identified as big business,” he said. “This is actual data. This is the ROI, and we're not asking for the money. We demand the money be put back into our entire state.”
That argument has also gained traction at the Capitol. Lawmakers from both parties have introduced Senate Bills 55 and 205 and House Bill 5136, which would dedicate a portion of the state’s 1% surcharge on restaurant meals to the Tourism Fund, creating a more stable source of marketing and arts funding. Similar proposals have been raised in recent years but have not reached final passage.
The Center for Economic Analysis is headed by UConn professor Fred Carstensen. He says tourism represents about seven percent of the state’s total employment.
“That’s a big chunk,” he told an audience at the Eastern Connecticut Tourism Conference Friday. “Tourism could play a really, really significant role in restoring our economic vitality.”
