HARRISBURG — A new state-funded study says Pennsylvania should create an independent tourism commission and change the handling of county hotel room tax revenue.

The study by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a legislative research agency, looks at ways to help promote tourism in the commonwealth.

State spending for tourism promotion has dropped sharply in the past few years, leaving tourism promotion agencies to rely more heavily on hotel room tax revenues. Gov. Tom Corbett has proposed $3 million for tourism in the 2012-13 fiscal year, which would be $1 million less than current funding. In addition, a half-century-old state subsidy for ad campaigns by regional tourism promotion agencies ended this year.

The study envisions a state tourism commission promoting national and state heritage parks and corridors along with state-owned historic sites and festivals, fairs and performing arts centers. Such a panel, which has also been proposed in years past, could have some state funding and perhaps a small earmark from hotel room tax revenue, the study said.

The study also suggests more reporting requirements for county room tax revenues, which researchers said should be turned over to the state which would then reimburse the counties.

State lawmakers in 2000 gave mid-sized counties the authority to levy hotel room taxes and set conditions for how revenue could be spent. Such taxes provide almost 70 percent of the income for 45 tourism promotion agencies, ranging from $10,500 in rural Cameron County to $2.8 million in Monroe County, the study said.

Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Mount Pocono, a member of the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, said the state will eventually have to reassert its traditional role in supporting regional tourism.

“As the economy turns around, the state needs to be a player in this too,” he added. “You can’t just depend on hotel room revenues.”