Much of the talk nationally and locally has centered on how to get our economy moving again. Policy proposals and local budgets are being measured by whether they will create jobs and stimulate spending.
While a contentious debate about the right policy rages in Washington, D.C., how about an answer that is much less controversial, easier to implement, and best of all could yield better results right here in Carlsbad?
I'm talking about supporting our local travel economy. Many people don't realize it, but travel and tourism are among our most important economic drivers.
Nationally, travel is responsible for $704 billion in direct spending, 7.4 million direct jobs, $186 billion in payroll and $111 billion in tax revenue. There are few industries that can compete with this kind of output.
San Diego County enjoys more than 30 million leisure travelers a year and those travelers spend more than $8 billion throughout the county.
Simply put, when people travel, the economy grows, jobs are created, and the tax coffers are filled.
So how can we invest in this precious resource and leverage it to bring our economy back?
Here are a few ideas.
Promote meetings and events.
When the recession first began, there was intense scrutiny of spending by companies relying on government assistance to survive hard times. Voters did not want to see their tax dollars spent on corporate junkets in exotic locations.
Many of these meetings, however, are essential to business productivity, and we need to support them. Furthermore, corporate meetings are a major driver of local jobs and a boost to local spending. When these meetings dry up, our community's small businesses and workers suffer. So we need to do what we can to support the meetings industry, and encourage more businesses and associations to bring their meetings here.
Reduce barriers to travel.
Travelers are facing a growing array of hassles and inconveniences on the road, from heavier security requirements, to flight delays, to growing fees and costs. As it becomes more difficult to travel, more people will decide to stay home, creating a drag on the economic recovery.
We need to do what we can to make it easier for people to get moving again. This includes urging lawmakers to make national air security more effective and efficient, modernizing air travel, and guarding against fees that don't go toward improving the travel experience.
Market to out-of-town visitors.
As the old saying goes, it takes money to make money. Carlsbad's destination marketing organization, Visit Carlsbad, works diligently to showcase Carlsbad as a premier destination. Visit Carlsbad's staff relies on support from the travel and hospitality industry to get our message out to potential visitors.
Attract international visitors.
When people travel from other countries, they tend to stay longer and spend more when they are here. This can be a windfall for our local retailers and other small businesses. A national communications and marketing program called the Travel Promotion Act was recently passed, which will invest in marketing to these visitors. This is great news for us.
Which brings up the final point — we need to make sure our lawmakers are recognized when they go to bat for travel. Our economy is beginning to turn around, but we need to continue to invest in the recovery.
May is National Travel and Tourism month. It is a great opportunity to let our elected officials know that we support and appreciate everything they are doing to get people moving again.