2017 | Doing Business in Connecticut 73
SPONSORED REPORT
• Visitor spending. In 2015 alone,
visitors to Connecticut generated
$14.7 billion in sales for businesses
across the state. Traveler spending
has an impact on most business
sectors in Connecticut directly or
indirectly.
• Statewide jobs. Tourism employ-
ment has been on the rise for five
straight years. Currently, tourism
supports almost 82,700 direct jobs.
In fact, approximately one out of
every 18 jobs in Connecticut is now
supported by tourism.
• Tax revenues. In 2015, visitor
spending generated $1.7 billion in
tax revenues, including $910 million
in state and local taxes. Traveler
spending is up across every county in
Connecticut.
Partnering to
promote Connecticut
Fueling these results is the fact
that the leisure and hospitality indus-
try in Connecticut has become increas-
ingly collaborative.
"Tourism-related businesses from
across our state are finding that they
can accomplish so much more togeth-
er than they can alone," said Randy
Fiveash, director of the Connecticut
Office of Tourism.
"Our tourism marketing efforts
have featured almost 2,000 specific,
well-identified, actual Connecticut
destinations — all to give visitors a
clearer view of all Connecticut has to
offer. Even beyond that, destinations
are working together to encourage
more multidimensional experiences
and more overnight stays."
Visitors are definitely getting the
message. In 2015, Connecticut experi-
enced a 12 percent increase in visits to
a variety of major attractions during
the summer season and a 16 percent
increase in visits during Connecticut's
glorious fall leaf season.
What does that mean for the state's
diverse leisure and hospitality sector
— as well as for its overall economic
vibrancy? Commissioner Catherine
Smith of the Department of Economic
and Community Development sums it
up this way: "Not only does showcas-
ing our quality of life help us draw
more visitors to Connecticut, it helps us
attract more businesses as well. It's this
powerful combination that makes tour-
ism such a critical driver of Connecticut's
ongoing economic development."
Pairs of specific travel ideas are featured in highly targeted digital ads that run on websites
across the country.
Connect with us!
www.CTvisit.com
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VisitConnecticut
www.Twitter.com/CTvisit
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www.Pinterest.com/CTvisit
www.YouTube.com/user/
ConnecticutTourism/
