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Pittsburgh is the latest city whose political leaders and hospitality industry members have raised a public outcry against the negative publicity meetings, conventions and business travel in general have received lately.  Hundreds of business leaders and hospitality employees joined together in May, at a “Travel Matters Rally,” which was organized to raise awareness about proposed state funding cuts to the travel and tourism industry that will negatively impact the region’s economy.

The travel, tourism and meetings/conventions industry, which is the second-largest industry in Pennsylvania, employs 77,000 in the Pittsburgh area. Under the proposed budget, funding for tourism promotion agencies across the state could decrease over 50 percent.

“Travel is a critical economic driver for Pennsylvania and restoring funding will enable tourism and travel to continue to be part of the solution,” said Craig Davis, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for VisitPittsburgh, the official tourism & meetings marketing agency of the Pittsburgh region, which is dedicated to generating conventions, trade show and other travel business for the region.

Other Travel Matters Rally speakers included: Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana; Tom Hardy, General Manager, Sheraton Station Square; and Joey DiSalvo, owner of DiSalvo Station restaurant, immediate past chair of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association and incoming chairman of Distinguished Restaurants of North America. Pittsburgh Penguins play-by-play television announcer, Paul Steigerwald, served as emcee.

Rally attendees include executives and frontline employees from area hotels, meeting facilities, transportation providers, attractions, restaurants, vendors and destination promotion organizations. A post-card mailing campaign to state office holders was launched as a first step to implore legislators and Governor Ed Rendell to restore funding to travel and tourism. 

In the Greater Pittsburgh area, the travel and tourism industry generated $530 million in state and local tax revenue in 2007. According to VisitPittsburgh, estimates indicate that without the tax revenue provided by the travel sector, Pennsylvania households could pay an additional $575 in taxes just to maintain the current level of government services.

“Travel and tourism is part of the solution to our budget problems because it generates tax revenue and creates jobs,” said Davis. “Through taxes, travel funds some of our most essential public service, like law enforcement and social services.”