Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam addressed industry professionals during the 2014 Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Hospitality & Tourism on Friday in his hometown of Knoxville.
“You can take pride in the fact that your industry is one of the key contributors to Tennessee’s success,” said Governor Haslam. “For the eighth consecutive year, tourism has generated more than $1 billion in state and local sales tax revenue. This tax revenue, coupled with the $16.7 billion annually in direct economic impact, makes tourism one of our state’s largest industries.”
Governor Haslam also emphasized tourism as a job-generator for Tennessee. Domestic and international travel expenditures supported 148,700 jobs in Tennessee in 2013, up 1.7 percent year over year, and these jobs provide $3.3 billion in payroll income.
Tourism’s steady growth as an economic driver is always impressive, but customer satisfaction is essential for an industry to thrive. Tennessee’s visitor satisfaction rating surpassed the national average once again by achieving an 8.54 (out of 10) rating.
Another highlight of Friday’s Governor’s luncheon was the announcement that Tennessee’s 14 Welcome Centers have achieved green certification. Skye Con, a Chattanooga-based company focused on sustainability certifications and environmental consulting, assisted in Tennessee’s Welcome Centers’ goal for going green.
Governor Haslam expressed his appreciation to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development under Commissioner Susan Whitaker and the Tennessee Tourism Committee, who work together to ensure that the tourism industry continues to thrive. The Committee is made up of tourism leaders in both the public and private sectors. The committee is chaired by Colin Reed, Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., and co-chaired by Ted Miller, Dolly Parton Productions, and Jack Soden, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
This year, for the first time in Tennessee’s history, the event combines the former Tennessee Hospitality Association’s annual conference with the former Tennessee Tourism Roundtable’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism into one event, bringing the entire industry together. Greg Adkins, president and CEO of Tennessee Hospitality Association, and John Whisenant, director of tourism of Tennessee Hospitality Association, along with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and Visit Knoxville organized the conference.
The Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism informs, updates, and inspires tourism partners from across the state through keynote speakers, seminars, networking and the annual state of the industry presentation. The event is a partnership between the Department of Tourist Development and TnHTA. This year’s conference is hosted by Visit Knoxville.
For more information contact Cindy Dupree, director of public relations for the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, at 615 418-5752 or by email at Cindy.Dupree@tn.gov.