The Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association made their case for the tourism industry at their annual summit last Thursday, held at the Masonic temple.
    
ACVA President and CEO Stephanie Pace Brown presented the state of Alexandrias and the countrys tourism market, which is still recovering from a terrible 2009, she said.
    
But the local market seems to be on an upswing.
    
More than 3 million tourists visit Alexandria annually, spending more than $600 million in the city, Brown said. That money helps keeps tax rates low for city residents, according to Brown. 
    
The ACVA will have an extra $400,000 allocated from this years city budget to enhance its staff and increase advertising in major cities across the country.
    
Mayor Bill Euille, who spoke at the luncheon, said the extra money was a worthwhile investment.