HARTFORD, Conn. — Hospitality officials and small business owners in Connecticut are pushing for more spending on tourism and hospitality.
“It was [...] at a high water mark the last couple of years; it was 12 million now it’s going back to four and a half next year unless the legislature and governor decide to put more money back into it,” said Scott Dolch, president and CEO of the CT Restaurant Association.
According to data, the budget for tourism marketing has dropped from $12.2 million in 2022 to $4.5 million in 2024.
“The businesses here need their support and need those marketing dollars to be going to supporting our cities, our regions, and all the great businesses operating here in [Connecticut],” Melissa Melonson said. She owns Emery’s Sweets and Sodas on Pratt Street in Hartford.
It took a few years for Emery’s to come together, but Melonson said it wouldn’t have been possible without customers.
“You need your city and state to back you to make sure you have all the proper support needed to make your business successful,” Melnson said.
She says the proposed marketing budget may impact future restaurant owners. And some business owners are saying the money is not competitive enough with other states.
“That number realistically should be close to $20 million,” Dolch said. “When you look at Maine, they’re spending 23 and other states around us like Massachusetts is in the 25, 26 range.”
Dolch says culinary tourism is real, and it shows in the new “Welcome to Connecticut” signs at the New York and Rhode Island borders.
“We need the dollars to be promoting that and to stay really relevant, and those dollars don’t go a long way,” he said.
“We want to make sure all of our hard work is being recognized and that we are able to reach people outside of our small networks ourselves," Melonson said.
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Kaye Paddyfote is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at kpaddyfote@fox61.com. Follow her on X and Instagram.
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