COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio's tourism director says the proposed new model for funding tourism marketing would make Ohio more competitive in the region as it lures visitors.

Gov. John Kasich's (KAY'-siks) proposal would double the allocation to $10 million and pay for tourism marketing campaigns through sales-tax revenue instead of allotments from the state's general revenue fund. It would limit funding to $10 million.

The U.S. Travel Association says that's on par with the average tourism budget among Ohio and its five neighboring states. Ohio's spending still would trail tourism budgets of $27.4 million in Michigan and $11.8 million in Kentucky.

Tourism director Amir Eylon tells The Columbus Dispatch ( http://bit.ly/Kn7ans ) it's a competitive regional market.

Kasich's proposal has passed the state House. The measure next heads to the Senate.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com