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President's Report
I don’t know about you, but I constantly feel like I need to filter myself between what I say out loud versus what I’m thinking in my head. With that in mind, I present the state of the Tourism Budget in the Legislature this session...
The House Budget has slashed tourism spending for FY26 in half compared to last fiscal year, including a 19% cut to the base tourism budget. Tourism is a golden goose, and it’s about to lay a lot less eggs.
The Sunflower Summer Program has been severely reduced and the “Love, Kansas” Marketing Campaign has been eliminated. These programs are meant to help our state’s kids and former residents fall in love with Kansas. It's like trying to bake a cake without enough flour and eggs – you might want people to love it, but you ain't gonna get much of a cake.
These cuts come at a time when we should be ramping up our efforts to attract visitors to the state for the 2026 USA semi quincentennial and 2026 World Cup—one of the biggest events in the state’s history. Kansas is getting ready to host a giant party, but we’ve decided to cut the guest list and skimp on decorations, food, drinks and entertainment.
While it looks bleak, the session isn’t over yet. Join us in Topeka for Destination Statehouse on March 6 to make your voice heard. Remind your Legislators that Tourism is the state’s cash cow, and they’re cutting off the milk.
Alan Carr
with Visit Kansas City Kansas
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