For 30 years we have worked to promote hospitality throughout the USA; and we owned the 3 Mountain Inn for about 5 years, in Jamaica, Vermont. Our business is to promote viable Inn and B&B businesses, to teach in our seminars the financial and personal qualifications to be successful Inn-keepers. We give workshops at National Meetings, for such organizations as PAII and Select Registry and we have been asked by many State organizations to be presenters.

Last month we were awarded the National Merit Award for Outstanding Contributions to the hospitality Industry in Austin Texas; the last time I spoke at a Vermont Hospitality Meeting was over 20 years ago!

At our Inn the Motto was: “We give you Vermont” We supported the “fresh network”, served local eggs, meats and fresh fish. Quality in décor, service and amenities was our goal at the Inn and is in our seminars that we offer throughout the U.S. Why as a State should you support Hospitality, because it brings lots of different folks, and they spend lots of money in our communities adding to the health of our economy! Rooms and Meals taxes and sales tax revenues are an important component of state revenue.  What we need now more then ever is a strong and active Tourism Promotion Task force! Are you aware that these guests are supportive of our local Artists, Musical Performances, Farmers Markets, support the Apple/ Fruit growers and keep our rural fields open and productive? The State needs to promote the hiking/biking trails, Maple –Sugaring times, our National Forests, Parks and our local Museums: give locations, times, maps and when best to visit etc.

We need to unite and make our talents and ample activities known… not by one Inn or B&B , but as a town, as a State and get the revenues that hospitality earns reinvested in our Farmers , keeping their fields open, keep our State rural and beautiful!

It is an embarrassment to see lunch tables set by States at our National Conventions, and Vermont attendees sit with either:  New Hampshire, Maine, or Massachusetts tables on which the topic is to discuss their State Association. What is wrong with that picture?

Today the strongest support for the hospitality is a Marketing Program that encompasses all Hospitality properties and a strong State support for standards and quality for all hospitality ownerships. Let’s be wise, and be Ambassadors to our communities and bring many new guests to our State by increasing their awareness of what we have to offer. Let us create the most productive State Association and embrace this little motto: “We give you Vermont! “