Private versus Public Financing of State Destination Promotion

Abstract

Until 1993 all U.S. state governments actively financed the promotion of travel to their states. In recent years, however, there has been growing public sentiment that governments should not directly engage in or fund tourism promotion. Colorado voters abolished their state's tourism board in 1993, while four other states are also looking for ways to privately fund state travel promotion. This article examines whether current efforts to induce greater private funding of destination travel promotion are likely to succeed. It is suggested that a broad-based, dedicated travel industry promotion tax is an effective way to reduce free riding by travel businesses and increase private funding of destination promotion.