Tourism director briefs committee: 16 million visitors in 2024, Canadian market decline hit revenues; marketing shows measurable ROI

The committee received a briefing from Heather Pelham, Commissioner of the Department of Tourism & Marketing, who presented 2024 visitation and economic figures and discussed near‑term marketing priorities.

Pelham said Vermont hosted roughly 16 million visitors in 2024, generating about $4.2 billion in spending and supporting more than 30,000 jobs in the tourism sector. She told committee members visitors contributed nearly $300 million in tax revenue in 2024 and that the visitor economy accounts for about 9% of the state’s GDP.

The commissioner described a significant decline in Canadian visitation and spending during 2024: she cited credit‑card spending measures that showed year‑over‑year decreases (one measure described as a 48% decline in a period) and said that Canadian sentiment about cross‑border travel remains muted. In response, the department launched a digital “100% love for Canada” campaign targeted at Quebec and Ontario, and negotiated special incentives with industry partners to try to recover business.

Pelham also summarized advertising‑effectiveness studies the department uses to measure return on investment. She cited a grama/brand‑lift study from a New York market and described last winter’s campaign as producing an estimated incremental 145,000 trips attributable to the campaign (an aggregate economic impact figure cited was roughly $300 million and $23 million in tax revenue for that increment). The department presented metrics on awareness, recall and a calculated travel increment to justify continued investment in targeted advertising.

On workforce and planning, Pelham highlighted federally funded workforce programs, a Hospitality Management Certificate program that includes paid internships, and a destination management plan that sets four strategic imperatives for sustainable visitor growth and diversification. Pelham said the department will return with a fuller budget presentation and more detailed data.

Committee members asked for more granular ROI and visitor‑satisfaction breakdowns and requested follow‑up materials after the governor’s budget address. No committee action was taken on the tourism briefing.