Megan Smith To Lead Tourism Department

By Gareth Henderson
Standard Staff
KILLINGTON – When she was in the House of Representatives, former lawmaker Megan Smith of Mendon had tourism at the top of her priority list. Now she’s returning to Montpelier working on the same issues, but in a much different position.
Last week, Smith was named the state’s new tourism commissioner by Governor-elect Peter Shumlin. In an interview with the Standard, Smith said she plans to revamp the state’s marketing approach to include more of the arts, agro-tourism and other sectors she feels could attract more visitors year-round. She applauded outgoing Tourism Commissioner Bruce Hyde’s work on the partnership with Cabot Cheese and the Vermont Ski Areas Association.
“We need to do that with other industries,” Smith said.
Part of the push will be modernizing the department, refreshing the website and making bigger marketing use of its magazine, Vermont Life. The tourism department just hired an employee in-house to manage the website and plans to add a marketing position. Smith said tourism officials would have to “take a big right turn” to accomplish all this.
“I think you’re going to see huge changes in how we market the state,” she said.
Smith is the former owner of the Vermont Inn in Mendon and served one term in the Vermont House, representing Bridgewater, Chittenden, Killington and Mendon from 2008 to 2010. During her time in the Statehouse, Smith created a House Tourism Caucus and made many contacts she said would be important in her new job. She also brings first-hand knowledge of the legislative process, which she said would be useful.
Underlying all Smith’s goals is a desire to see Vermont become more vibrant year-round destination. She said private businesses, downtowns, historical societies and other groups could all be a part of this effort.
“These are people who could benefit from the agency’s expertise and will help us, as an agency, have a year-round message,” Smith said.
Smith also wanted to reach out to part-time residents who might be attracted back to Vermont during the off-season for weekend events.
“These are people who are invested in Vermont…and we need to engage them,” she said.
However, Smith also said the Department of Tourism and Marketing could not do it all on its own. Innovative ideas from the local level would be very important to boosting tourism, she said. Smith pointed to Killington’s relatively new Department of Tourism and Economic Development as an example. The department is funded by a local 1-percent options tax and has been able to expand on local events and bring new ones to town. Smith said the Killington formula could be a “model for the state.”
“I think they’ve made a huge difference,” Smith said.
Furthermore, Smith praised the Vermont Byways program that will be finalized this session. Woodstock, Killington, Bridgewater and other towns along Route 4 are participating. The program will result in more federal grant opportunities to improve the Route 4 gateway that is critical to so many communities along this corridor.
“This will bring major opportunities to towns all the way from Hartford to Castleton,” Smith said.
She also applauded other efforts that will be ongoing in the Shumlin administration, including ways to make business regulations easier to follow and a plan to expand broadband Internet access. Smith said both of these efforts would make a big difference for tourism. When she was in the House, Smith said the push to bring broadband to all corners of Vermont was one of the more frustrating issues. Now, with the Shumlin administration poised to lead the charge, she is confident in the future.
“I think it’s going to happen,” she said.