One of the fastest growing sectors of the United States economy is the service industry, and tourism is almost the largest segment of this business. Tourists spent $17.3 billion in Texas during 1987, which is a 6.9 percent share of the United States travel and tourism market. In 1987, the Texas state legislature created the new state Department of Commerce (DOC). According to the chairman of DOC, two of the major thrusts of its strategy are business development and tourism. The agency is financed with .5 percent of the state hotel tax revenue, which is approximately $6 million per year. This amount finances a toll‐free number for potential visitors to call requesting Texas travel information and an unprecedented national advertising campaign, including television commercials.