House Bill 1628 aims to enhance tourism in Tennessee by establishing clear definitions and guidelines for destination marketing organizations and regional tourism organizations. The bill introduces new definitions for terms such as "destination marketing organization," "tourism," "tourism development," "tourism event," and "tourism promotion," which will aid in the interpretation and administration of existing tourism-related laws. Additionally, it outlines the criteria for confirming regional tourism organizations within the nine development districts, including the requirement for these organizations to represent all counties in their district and to provide progress reports to the Department of Tourist Development.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the funding structure for regional tourism organizations, stipulating that state funds will be distributed on a matching basis, with a minimum award of $35,000. It specifies that funds must be used primarily for tourism promotion, allowing a maximum of 40% for administrative expenses, with the possibility of increasing this to 50% under certain conditions. The bill emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing initiatives with the state's branding and mandates that organizations provide documentation of their planned initiatives for approval before receiving funds. This legislative effort seeks to bolster Tennessee's tourism economy by ensuring effective marketing and development strategies are in place.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 4-3-2207