Arts, Tourism, and Presidential Politics Tops Agenda of TAPES Committee

Hannemann began the discussions by reviewing the actions and activities the Committee has taken since its last meeting at the Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in June 2007. We have made some real progress, stated Hannemann. It's time to get the presidential candidates to be more supportive of arts and tourism. Successes include the inclusion of tourism and arts in the Mayors 10-Point Plan, participation in the New Hampshire Arts Presidential Forum, and the inclusion of travel and tourism as a plenary session at the 2008 Winter Meeting. Future activities will include sponsorship of a Presidential Forum on Travel and Tourism in Spring 2008 and a plenary session on tourism at the 76th Annual Conference in June in Miami.

Chuck Merin, President of the Travel Business Roundtable, shared his perspectives on the congressional outlook for passage of the Travel Promotion Act, which would establish a federal program to market the United States overseas. Mayors will be encouraged in contact their Congressional representatives to ask for their support of this bill.

Nina Ozlu Tunceli, Chief Counsel for Americans for the Arts, brought the mayors up-to-date on federal support of the arts which this year saw a 16 percent increase <0x2014> the largest in the past 24 years. She also shared with the mayors an article that appeared recently in Newsweek that stated that support of the arts was included more in the speeches of the presidential candidates. She called upon the mayors to participate in the annual Arts Advocacy Day on April 1.

Source: http://www.usmayors.org

By Tom McClimon, The U.S. Conference of Mayors