In mid-2011, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam formed a statewide Tourism Committee with the purpose of maximizing Tennessee’s potential in tourism by attracting more visitors, creating more effective marketing, coordinating public-private partnerships, sharing of customers from attraction to attraction more efficiently, and specifically focusing on tourism opportunities throughout the state.
The committee is made up of approximately 20 tourism leaders representing the entire state. Chattanooga has two members on this committee – Bob Doak, president & CEO of the Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau and Charlie Arant, president of the Tennessee Aquarium.
The committee, will have an open forum on Thursday, April 19, from 9-10 a.m. at the Chattanoogan Hotel. The public is invited to attend.
The goal of the open forum is to ensure input and transparency between the state’s tourism community and the committee’s objectives. The committee would like to take this opportunity to update the public on its progress and answer questions regarding Tennessee’s tourism industry.
Tourism in Tennessee generates $14.1 billion in economic impact and employs more than 170,000 Tennesseans. Visitors to Chattanooga create over ¾ of a billion economic impact in Hamilton County, generate $18 million in local sales tax revenue and support over 8,000 full-time jobs in the tourism industry.
To attend the event, please RSVP to Pam Huff at phuff@gaylordentertainment.com or 615 316-6288 with the following information for everyone attending with your group: name, name of company, title/position and email.