Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) will hold a constituent meeting to talk about the work of the tourism promotion commission she leads at the State House.
“Tourism is so vital to Newport, and ensuring that the state is getting the biggest bang for its tourism promotion buck means a lot in my district. I’m proud to be doing this work, and I’d like to share the details with my constituents so they can see what we’ve been working on and offer their own thoughts,” said Representative Carson in a news release.
The meeting is scheduled Tuesday, November 14, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Gateway Visitors Center 23 America’s Cup Ave., Newport. All District 75 residents are welcome, and parking at the center will be free.
The meeting will include a short discussion on issues of general interest to the district, and then will move on to the work of the Special Legislative Commission to Study Methods for Growing Tourism in the State of Rhode Island Through Coordinated Branding and Marketing Efforts, chaired by Representative Carson.
The commission, which formed two years ago as the result of legislation Representative Carson sponsored, has been working on a comprehensive analysis of best- practice methods used to expand tourism on both a regional and national level, gathering information on the current collaborative practices of the state’s multiple tourism councils, analyzing reports provided semi-annually by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, and making recommendations to the Commerce Corporation to enable it to develop more informed and coordinated decision-making efforts regarding the development of branding and marketing of tourism in Rhode Island.
The commission issued a report this spring recommending the state reshuffle its tourism oversight structure and promotion dollars to mirror its marketing goals, and that it adopt a comprehensive and uniform way of measuring the effectiveness of the state’s tourism investments. The commission is now working on recommendations to achieve those goals.