Zawistowski Joins Bipartisan Tourism Initiative

HARTFORD — State Rep. Tami Zawistowski (R-61) on Tuesday joined interested members of the legislature for the initial meeting of the newly-formed Tourism Caucus, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers focusing on low cost efforts to promote state attractions.

“Tourism is an important piece of our economy, but our state’s uncertain financial outlook certainly limits what we can do to promote all the wonderful things our state has to offer,” said Zawistowski, whose three-town (Suffield, East Granby, Windsor) district includes Hilltop Farm in Suffield, the under-renovation Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine, and numerous outer historical and agricultural attractions. “That makes this group’s work all the more important, and it’s my hope we can find cost-effective ways to promote our state as we deal with budget problems.”

Connecticut faces a deficit of $900 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1, and a projected $4.5 billion in the two-year budget period after that.

The meeting included 20 or so lawmakers representing communities from every corner of the state. They discussed ways to get leaders at top tourism destinations to cooperate as they hold events, and to find ways for the state to collaborate with businesses and local organizations. Legislators discussed leveraging the state’s historical, cultural and agricultural assets to generate more tourism-related traffic in Connecticut, and they discussed the potential for more significant roles by regional tourism boards and chambers of commerce.

The legislators also discussed the bureaucracy tied to getting the state’s Department of Transportation to approve signage pointing motorists to tourist destinations—a problem Zawistowski said officials in Suffield and Windsor have experienced. The lawmakers moved the issue toward the top of the caucus agenda, and they plan to invite a DOT representative to their next meeting.