Considering Pennsylvania's many financial headaches, the state's annual contribution to the tourism industry isn't the most crucial budget consideration.

But as the commonwealth's second-largest industry, it deserves its fair share. Unfortunately, Gov. Ed Rendell's 2009-10 budget, which cut tourism marketing by 80 percent, portrays tourism as something much less important than it really is.

There never can be an accurate estimate of how much the state's economy is boosted by tourism. But to use the words "substantial positive impact" to describe tourism's economic benefits downplays what tourism means to this state.

Nevertheless, tourism continues to be ignored in the state's political debate, both from the standpoint of incumbent elected officials as well as those hoping to win election either to an upcoming vacancy or by ousting an incumbent lawmaker.

Jack Cohen, executive director of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, has called attention to the cold shoulder tourism has been receiving on the state level, noting that no legislators showed up after having been invited to meet tourism leaders at a recent state tourism convention.

Cohen was quoted in a March 28 Butler Eagle article as saying, "These guys don't know about our industry and they don't take it seriously, so it's time we really work to make sure they understand that tourism is the state's second-largest industry and Butler County's first."

Cohen said he anticipates another 40 percent tourism-dollars cut — about $3 million — in the 2010-11 state budget that lawmakers and Rendell purportedly will be trying to finalize by June 30, if they're able to avoid a partisan logjam like the one that delayed final budget decisions in 2009 for about six months beyond the constitutional deadline.

Next month, tourism will have another opportunity to capture the attention of incumbent lawmakers and political hopefuls, but Cohen and others have in recent days expressed pessimism over the interest shown by gubernatorial candidates to date.

The meeting in question is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. April 29 at the Doubletree Hotel in Pittsburgh. Tourism officials hope to attract 500 industry employees and business owners for what they hope will be an opportunity to meet this year's Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidates.

However, Cohen indicated that meeting organizers aren't happy about the poor response they've gotten from the candidates up to now.

Pennsylvania voters will elect a new governor on Nov. 2; Rendell is prohibited by law from seeking a third consecutive term.

In addition to the question regarding gubernatorial hopefuls' attendance, there's also the question of how many lawmakers and legislative hopefuls will clear their calendars so they can meet with tourism officials and business owners that afternoon.

Which candidates attended should be announced after the meeting to allow voters, especially those either employed by, or affected by the health of, the tourism industry to know which candidates weren't interested in learning about this important Keystone State industry.

Again, considering the state's fiscal challenges, the financial injection into the tourism industry isn't the most pressing budget issue that lies ahead. However, it is important nonetheless.

Cohen was correct in suggesting that tourism officials need to hold the next governor responsible for the funding and marketing of Pennsylvania. And, it's true that if the gubernatorial candidates ignore opportunities to meet with tourism leaders from across the commonwealth, those candidates aren't going to have the important perspective of the industry that any governor of this state should have.

That prospect is troubling, not only for the people impacted directly by tourism promotion but others whose lives are more prosperous because of the tourism dollars that the commonwealth generates.