Patrick talks tourism during visit to Big E

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Thursday is Massachusetts Day at the Big E , and Governor Deval Patrick stopped at the Exposition Grounds to address the annual Travel and Tourism conference.

Afterwards, he toured the Massachusetts Building, which is designed to replicate the Old State House in Boston. There, the Governor sampled some regional food, and chatted with people who help bring more than 20 million visitors to the state every year.

Despite being only the 14th most populous state, and one of the smallest states geographically, Massachusetts actually has the country's fifth-largest international tourist industry.

“It's the third largest industry in the Commonwealth, one of the fastest growing,” Patrick said. “I'm very pleased with the fact that the Legislature has supported us further with an increase in the budget for international marketing.”

Massachusetts tourism generates close to $1 billion in state and local taxes.