The appropriation funds for such an effort—since the Office of Tourism is funded by hotel taxes, which are down—was unclear, Healy said.
But the council discussed ways to revive the lagging local tourist industry.
“Imagine a weekend in Cambridge—the Loeb Theatre, the restaurants,” Galluccio said. “Tie it to why you’d want to stay in Cambridge as opposed to Boston.”
Reeves said Galluccio would be ideal at spearheading an effort to increase tourism.
“I have the sense that you would be an excellent leader, like Rudy Giuliani, in this,” Reeves said to Galluccio.
At the end of the meeting, Councillor Jim Braude congratulated Galluccio, who found out yesterday that he will win the JFK Library’s Fenn Award for Political Leadership on Nov. 7.
—Staff writer Lauren R. Dorgan can be reached at dorgan@fas.harvard.edu.