office of tourism;
continuation
DP |
Committee on Commerce and Economic Development |
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DPA |
Caucus and COW |
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X |
As Transmitted to the Governor |
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SB 1033 continues the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) until July 1, 2011.
The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) was established by the Legislature in 1978 to promote and develop tourism statewide. Prior to the establishment of AOT, the Department of Commerce (DOC) provided tourism promotion services for the State. Currently, all 50 states fund some form of tourism promotion, and Arizona is one of eight states that operate an independent or cabinet-level tourism office.
The AOT’s mission is to expand the volume of tourism activity and related expenditures in the state in order to enhance the economy, the stability of the work force and the standard of living for all Arizonans. The primary functions of AOT are to promote and develop tourism business statewide, conduct research and provide information and advice to the Governor, the tourism industry and the public.
In August 2000, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) published a performance audit of AOT. The Committee of Reference, the Senate Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and House of Representatives International Trade, Technology and Tourism Committee, held a public hearing to review the audit. The Committee of Reference recommended the AOT be extended for ten years and the AOT and the OAG report back to the Committee of Reference in two years regarding the agency’s compliance with the performance audit recommendations.
SB 1033 allows the continuation of the AOT until July 1, 2011.