Washington state is shuttering the official tourism agency that unifies its marketing message and abandoning all public support for one of its largest industries, The Associated Press reports.
By the end of next week, it will be the only state in the nation without any money to spend on self-promotion.
The transition is the most extreme example of the widely varying strategies among states trying to balance budget cuts with ways to spur economic growth. Some are pouring millions of dollars into fresh marketing, while others like New York and Arizona are slashing their promotional spending to help shore up state budgets.
