Brewer seeks funding increase for tourism office

Gov. Jan Brewer is seeking a big funding boost for the Arizona Office of Tourism so it can step up efforts to market the state.

Brewer announced Friday her proposed budget will request $7 million of additional state funding for the office, which now has a $12.4 million budget.

Brewer calls the additional funding a wise investment that Arizona should make now that the state’s finances are improving.

The governor says the additional money would be used to expand an existing advertising campaign aimed at specific cities into a national program.

She says plans also include advertising to encourage visitors to travel outside metropolitan areas.

Arizona halted regular appropriations for its tourism office in 2010 because of the budget crisis. Current funding comes from hotel, car rental and gambling revenue.