Governor Matt Mead will sign a proclamation Thursday, May 3rd designating May 5-13, 2012 as National Travel & Tourism Week in Wyoming.  The signing, along with a travel rally will take place at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Capitol in Cheyenne. Governor Matt Mead is authorizing and requesting that communities across Wyoming observe this week through events and activities that promote Wyoming’s tourism industry.

Shannon Stanfill, Visitor Services Manager at Wyoming Office of Tourism conveys,

“National Tourism Week allows us to bring all facets of the tourism industry to the forefront of people’s mind. This year, in conjunction with communities across America and the US Travel Association, we will host a travel rally during the proclamation signing. We invite everyone who works in lodging, transportation, restaurants and activities to join us so that we can acknowledge and demonstrate how many people are involved in Cheyenne’s hospitality industry.”

According to Diane Shober, Director of Wyoming Travel and Tourism,

“Tourism impacts every person in Wyoming and contributes $2.8 billion in travel expenditures and 118 million annually in state and local tax revenues while employing nearly 30,000 people which generates an annual payroll of 729 million.”

In fact, tourism is Wyoming’s second largest industry surpassed only by oil, gas and minerals.

Tourism Week Events include;

Wednesday, May 3
2:30 p.m. Rally day and proclamation signing, Cheyenne
7:30 a.m. Jackson Hole REACH awards

Monday, May 7
5:45 p.m. Town of Jackson proclamation signing
6:00 p.m. Town of Lusk celebration, award ceremony and proclamation signing
7:00 p.m. City of Gillette proclamation signing

Tuesday, May 8
5:00 p.m. City of Rawlins open house and awards

Wednesday, May 9
11:30 a.m. City of Evanston proclamation reading
11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. statewide REACH award luncheon, hosted by the City of Evanston and the Evanston Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, May 10
Noon. JacksonHole Business Including Lunch -Tourism Speaker Panel
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Welcome center open houses at both Cheyenne and Northeast Wyoming Welcome Center.

Readers may go to wyomingofficeoftourism.gov and view the industry calendar for more information about each event.

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