By Tom McClimon
February 12, 2007

The mayors of the state capital cities met during the Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting. Under the chairmanship of Richmond (VA) Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, the mayors’ discussion centered on the challenges and opportunities they face as mayors of state capital cities.

Rick Webster, Vice President for Government Affairs for the Travel Industry Association, shared with the mayors some of his thoughts on improving travel and tourism opportunities. Ranging from working with their local convention and visitor bureaus to maintaining safe and clean environments to having multilingual signage, Webster presented the mayors with a laundry list of suggestions. Further discussion centered on what the mayors of state capital cities could do to establish their own identity. Possible suggestions included working with the Travel Industry Association’s “See America” program to develop opportunities for state capital cities. The mayors also suggested scheduling further Conference meetings to share “best practices” on travel and tourism.

Rogan Kersh, Associate Professor of Public Service and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, shared with the mayors some current ongoing research on the economic impact of travel and tourism on state capital cities; and on payment-in-lieu of taxes programs. He discussed opportunities where the Wagner School might be of assistance to the state capital cities’ mayors.

The mayors plan to meet again at the Conference of Mayors 75th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles in June.