Sample Letter from Local Corporation Or Small Business Owner

Sample Letter from Local Corporation or Small Business Owner

NOTE: PERSONALIZE WITH RELEVANT DATA FROM YOUR CITY, PRINT ON OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD

[Date]

[Elected Official]
[Municipality]
[Office Address]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear [Elected Official Name]:

As youconsidernext year’s budget, I write to bring attention to the significant benefits our community enjoys thanks to travel and tourism. Research in the enclosed report, “The Power of Travel Promotion,” proves that travel spurs economic growth, builds a strong tax base and creates jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Travel promotion is a wise strategic investment for our [CITY/TOWN/STATE]. It kicks off a virtuous cycleof increased visitation, greater traveler spending in local businesses, faster job creation and higher tax revenues that far surpass the initial investment.

As a business leader in this community, I am personally invested in our [city/state]. My decision to establish roots here was made under the premise that our community would continue to developand flourish, due in large part to travel and tourism. Visitors are critical not only to my company’s bottom line, but also to the [xx number] of our employees whose jobs are supported by visitor spending. In fact, the travel industry supports more than 15 million jobs nationwide—that’s 1 in 9 American jobs. [INSERT STAT # OF EMPLOYEES IN YOUR COMPANY/COMMUNITY]

What’s more, when the travel industry thrives, our entire community benefits. Travel and tourism is a cash-generating machine for state and local governments. In 2015, travel generated $148 billion in tax revenue, including $67 billion to state and local governments—enough to pay the wages of every firefighter and police officer in the country. Increased visitor spending means increased revenues to the general fund, which eliminates additional tax burdens on our local residents to provide essential services. Nationally, every U.S. household would pay more than $1,200 in additional taxes without the tax revenue generated by travel.

In today’s highly competitive market, states and cities that maintain, or even increase funding, for their travel promotion programs seize market share, while those that cut programs suffer immediate revenue shortfalls and other negative economic consequences.

The economic benefits of travel are clear. Pleasemake travel and tourism a priority and help us improve our community by investing in [DESTINATION/STATE’s]travel promotion program.

Sincerely,
[Contact]
[Title]