MACVB – Your Legislative Advocacy

MACVB Advocates On Behalf of the Tourism Industry: In recent years, MAVCVB has increased its efforts to lobby Minnesota legislators on behalf of the tourism industry. Tourism and marketing Minnesota as a destination is critical to Minnesota’s economy.

Facts:

The leisure and hospitality sector contributes $16 billion in annual gross sales. That’s almost $44 million per day.

Tourism advertising returns $180 of traveler spending for every $1 invested in advertising.

The industry supports 273,000 full- and part-time jobs, $6.1 billion in payroll and represents 11% of all private sector employment in Minnesota.

Tourism generates state and local sales tax revenue of $1.04 billion – approximately 18% of all state sales tax revenue.

In the absence of the state and local taxes generated by travelers, each Minnesota household would need to pay an additional $625 in taxes to fill the gap.

Tourism supports economic growth and vitality in virtually every county of Minnesota!

Our Approach

MACVB contracts with Hill Capitol Strategies as its lobbyist at the Minnesota State Legislature. Represented by Todd Hill and Tony Kwilas, well-known and respected lobbyists, our focus is on four key issues:

Preserving the limited use of local option sales tax to marketing;

Increasing funding for Explore Minnesota for additional marketing and promotional efforts;

Supporting uniform regulation and taxation around the collection of sales and lodging taxes; and,

Maintaining the prohibition of school districts starting classes prior to Labor Day.

Ask MACVB:

One of the best reasons to be a member of MACVB is simply having a resource to go to when you have a question…whether it be about the appropriate use of lodging taxes, city ordinances, creating a CVB, or any other topic. Members are welcome to direct questions to Executive Director, Deb McMillan by phone 651-292-3923 or email [email protected] If Deb can’t provide an answer right away, we’ll do some research or put you in touch with the right expert.

When you “Ask MACVB,” you save time and money getting the answers you need. It’s easy, it’s quick and it’s confidential!