State Representative Mike Dovilla Announces Field Hearing on Ohio Tourism

State Representative Mike Dovilla (R ? Berea) today announced the House Committee on Policy and Legislative Oversight will hold a hearing on TourismOhio. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, at the Kalahari Convention Center in Sandusky, Ohio at 1:00 p.m. BACKGROUND: Senate Bill 314 from the 129th General Assembly established the Office of TourismOhio within the Development Services Agency. TourismOhio was designed as a five-year pilot program that would link funding for Ohio?s tourism marketing to the growth in sales tax revenues of tourism-related industries. In addition, the legislation established the TourismOhio Advisory Board which would bring together industry experts to provide guidance and support efforts to promote Ohio tourism. In announcing the hearing Chairman Dovilla said, ?Ohio?s tourism industry supports over 443,000 jobs and generates more than $43.3 billion for our state?s economy. When the General Assembly passed legislation establishing the pilot program of TourismOhio, it was based on a unique funding model to help more effectively market our state as a tourist destination.? FOCUS OF THE HEARING: The hearing will focus on the small businesses in our state that rely on travel and tourism, Ohio's fourth largest industry, and the changes being implemented by the Development Services Agency and TourismOhio as a result of Senate Bill 314 from the 129th General Assembly. DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS: Any individual or group desiring to testify must submit written comments for the hearing record to rep07@ohiohouse.gov. All submissions must be in either Microsoft Word or PDF and received no later than Friday, September 6, 2013.