One of the four focus areas of the Vermont Chamber Hospitality Committee (VCHC) is advocacy on issues impacting the tourism industry.
The Vermont Chamber lobbying team advocates on core business issues such as property taxes, health care, and education. Vicky Tebbetts, a registered lobbyist and Senior Vice President of the Vermont Chamber, works on issues specific to the industry.
The Vermont Chamber's lobbying team covers hospitality issues. Here are some recent initiatives that we worked on at the Vermont State House:
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Advocating that the Vermont Legislature fund Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) statewide efforts to showcase Vermont as a destination. VDTM's promotional budget has been level-funded for the past several years, despite deep cuts, in difficult economic times, to other areas of state spending. VDTM's initiatives help deliver visitors to your door, and set a tone for regional, sector, and business-specific marketing messages;
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Job creation; tempering tax increases and unnecessary restrictions;
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Complex liquor laws and regulations that impact commercial kitchens, event hosts, and caterers;
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Continued investment in Vermont’s travel and tourism infrastructure for marketing and transportation safety purposes; and
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A productive Byway Oversight Council (formerly Scenery Preservation Council) that encourages organizers and businesses along Vermont's designated byways to tap into marketing and planning expertise provided by a citizen oversight committee.
In addition to our work at the Vermont State House, the Vermont Chamber represents Vermont businesses on a federal level through our partnerships with the American Hotel & lodging Association and the National Restaurant Association.
Employee card check legislation, employing foreign workers, border crossings, and menu labeling in light of the LEAN/MEAL act, are examples of our national partners' advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.