By Andrew Polino
Buffalo, NY – US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is promoting new legislation that she says will enhance regional tourism in Western New York. Gillibrand said the bill will create matching federal grants for the development or renovation of tourist sites.
During an appearance at the Darwin D. Martin House Friday, Gillibrand said there are plenty of examples of local attractions that will bring in tourists.
"From world class vineyards in the Finger Lakes to Niagara Falls to the beautiful Adirondacks and all the attractions of New York City, there is absolutely no place better to vacation than New York," Gillibrand said. "Visitors add billions of dollars to our state's economy each year and support thousands of jobs right here at home."
Gillibrand's bill would allow local tourism promotion organizations, such as convention and visitors bureaus, to partner with other regional tourism entities, such as parks or resorts, to receive federal funding to market their destination across the United States. Funding would come in the form of matching grants totaling between $100,000 and $1 million.
Gillibrand is pushing another bill that would review laws that now require a passport to cross the US and Canadian border. Gillibrand said she wants both the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to report on the effects the new requirements are having. She says she's specifically concerned about their impact on travel, trade and tourism.
Gillibrand said she's pushing for other measures to boost trade relations with Canada, including encouraging Ontario to decrease its tax on US imported wine.
"I believe that equalizing the tax disparity for importing wine and other products for personal use into Ontario will help to facilitate more tourism into the United States and allow more Canadians to enjoy products that New York has to offer," Gillibrand said.