Bill to create tourism development board advanced

A bill that would establish a committee to promote travel and tourism in Nebraska cleared the first round of legislative debate April 27.

LB684, introduced by Ogallala Sen. Ken Schilz, would establish the Travel and Tourism Division Advisory Committee. The committee would be required to develop a statewide strategic plan to cultivate and promote tourism in Nebraska including:

• a comprehensive inventory of local tourism boards;
• a review of existing and potential funding sources for state and local tourism;
• criteria for local tourism boards regarding appointments and grant awards;
• an examination of other states’ tourism funding models and marketing strategies; and
• a proposal for expanding existing tourism and creating new capacities.

The board would include representatives from the Nebraska Travel Association, Nebraska Hotel and Motel Association, the largest tourist attraction in the state and the largest convention facility in the state, as determined by the state Department of Economic Development.

A Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee amendment, adopted 37-0, altered the composition of the proposed board.

Under the amendment, the advisory committee would be expanded to include a representative from the Game and Parks Commission. In addition, the representative from the largest tourist attraction would be replaced by one from a tourism attraction that records at least 2,000 out-of-state visitors per year. Finally, the representative of the largest convention facility would be replaced by one from the Nebraska Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

The amendment also would authorize DED to hire a consultant to assist with the statewide strategic plan.

Sen. Annette Dubas of Fullerton offered and later withdrew an amendment that would have removed authorization for DED to hire an outside consultant, which the department estimated would cost $75,000.

Dubas said department employees should be capable of producing the plan outlined in the bill without outside assistance.

“I know the staff at DED is very capable, talented and committed,” she said.

Schilz said the funds would come from a DED cash fund dedicated to tourism promotion and that an outside expert could bring fresh ideas to the state’s tourism industry.

“If we’re going to be serious about tourism – about a $3.8 billion industry in our state – then we need to be serious about promoting it,” Schilz said.

Scottsbluff Sen. John Harms supported the bill, saying the state needs a coordinated plan to market its attractions in a comprehensive way.

The bill advanced on a 42-0 vote.