TO:  MTC Members

FROM:  Gary Figgins - Legislative Chair, Missouri Travel Council

Missourians watched last night as Governor Blunt delivered his first State of the State address, the first such address delivered in primetime evening hours and televised state-wide. Change and streamlining seemed to be the overall theme of the speech, and some of those changes have been publicized over the past few weeks. Although changes in the Department of Economic Development are high on the governor's list of priorities, no direct mention was made of the DED's Division of Tourism.

Early Thursday morning, the Governor's budget recommendations were made, and it would seem Governor Blunt is pleased with the performance of the Division of Tourism as he has recommended full funding at the current level. The recommendation for the Division of Tourism included an brief overview of the Division's funding mechanism, hopefully meaning that the governor's office understands that this money is dedicated to a specific purpose.

Missouri Travel Council will continue to watch developments as the General Assembly works with the presented budget.

Be sure to mark Feb. 23-24 on your calendar, if you have not done so already. Capitol Day for Tourism has developed into the signature legislative event for Missouri's tourism industry, and it has been well-received by legislators. We will visit legislators the afternoon of Feb. 23 and treat them and their staffs to a pancake breakfast the next morning.

We are once again asking industry members with display banners to set them up as a backdrop for our event. Each member will be responsible for delivering and setting up the display banners the morning of the event.

Gary Figgins
Legislative Chair
Missouri Travel Council
gfiggins@showmemissouri.net