Colorado Springs, Colo. – In advance of the Western Governors' Association annual meeting on Monday, June 9, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper will join with other state and federal officials to formalize an agreement intended to boost local and state tourism economies throughout the West.
The Memorandum of Understanding solidifies an existing framework through which the consortium of 13 western states tourism offices, collectively known as the Western States Tourism Policy Council (WSTPC), and six federal agencies will continue to work together to advance domestic and international tourism on our nation's public lands and to spur economic growth.
Travel and tourism is a major economic engine for the nation, supporting nearly 8 million American jobs – jobs that can't be outsourced at thousands of local and small businesses. The agreement supports President Obama's National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which set an ambitious goal of attracting and welcoming 100 million international visitors annually by the end of year 2021.
On Monday afternoon, Secretary Jewell will offer remarks at the WGA annual meeting. Gov. Hickenlooper, WGA Chair, and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, Vice Chair, will be joined by eight other Western Governors: Arizona's Jan Brewer, Idaho's Butch Otter, Kansas's Sam Brownback, Montana's Steve Bullock, North Dakota's Jack Dalrymple, South Dakota's Dennis Daugaard, Utah's Gary Herbert and Wyoming's Matt Mead. British Columbia Premier Christy Clark also will be on hand.
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
John Hickenlooper, Governor of Colorado and Chair of the Western Governors' Association
Diane Shober, Chair of WSTPC; Director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism
WHAT:
Western Tourism Agreement Signing Event
WHEN:
Monday, June 9, 2014 @ 10:00 MST
WHERE:
The Broadmoor Hotel
West Tower Lawn
Colorado Springs, CO
RSVP:
Credentialed members of the media interested in covering the event are encouraged to RSVP HERE by Sunday, June 8 at 5pm MST.
Source: Department of Interior
