New committee to promote tourism after district loses funding
Waterford — A new player in local tourism promotion surfaced Tuesday — much to the old player’s surprise.
The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut announced the creation of the Eastern Connecticut Regional Tourism Committee, a public/private partnership with the state Office of Tourism. It appears the committee will provide what the Eastern Regional Tourism District had been providing up until the state eliminated its funding at the end of June.
Tony Sheridan, president and chief executive officer of the chamber, said the committee will “facilitate and streamline the region’s effort to support the tourism industry.”
The Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau, whose board Sheridan chairs, will be merged into the committee.
State lawmakers, tourism operators and business people attended Tuesday’s announcement at the chamber’s Hartford Road offices.
Ed Dombroskas, executive director of the Eastern Regional Tourism District, was conspicuously absent. Reached later, Dombroskas said he was hearing about the new committee’s formation for the first time.
“I’m shocked,” he said. “It’s very much a declaration that they’re going to take over the regional tourism operation, but they don’t provide any details of how they’re going to do it.”
Randy Fiveash, director of the Office of Tourism, said he anticipates no new state funding for regional tourism. He credited Sheridan for bringing his office the committee proposal, which he said grew out of meetings with representatives of other chambers.
State Sens. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, and Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, both voiced support for regional tourism efforts without offering hope for the restoration of state funding.
“You can’t promise something you can’t deliver,” Osten said.
Dombroskas said he still intends to lobby for funding for the state’s three tourism districts, whose functions are spelled out in state statutes. He said, however, that it’s his “suspicion” that legislation seeking to repeal the law pertaining to regional tourism districts will be proposed.
Steve Coan, president and CEO of the Sea Research Foundation, Mystic Aquarium’s parent, said the new committee is the “logical” outgrowth of the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau. His Mystic Seaport counterpart, Stephen White, said the recent upheaval in tourism funding provides opportunities.
“Change in the last six months allows for creativity in how we present our region to the East Coast ...,” White said. “We’ve got to get our message about Mystic to Ireland and Australia.”
Gary Farrugia, publisher of The Day, said the newspaper would dedicate itself to the effort on the marketing side.
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