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Tourism chief: visitation near pre-pandemic levels; marketing budget trails neighboring states
Summary
The Department of Tourism and Marketing told the Senate committee that Vermont attracted 15.8 million visitors in 2023, contributing about $4 billion to the state economy, but that its marketing budget is smaller than neighboring states and the department seeks new destination-development investments and regional forums.
Heather Pelham, commissioner of the Department of Tourism and Marketing, briefed the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee on Jan. 17 about the department’s marketing strategy, recent visitation figures and a series of destination-development projects funded with federal recovery dollars.
Pelham reported that 15.8 million visitors came to Vermont in 2023 and that visitors spent about $4 billion statewide — an amount she said represents roughly 9.3% of Vermont’s gross domestic product. She described the department’s core work as destination marketing and relocation outreach and noted the department’s staff of roughly 14 people "including two limited service positions that we will lose at the end of 2025."
Why it matters: Committee members were shown the economic impact of tourism and…
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