Connecticut Tourism Turns to NY Residents for Revenue

With the arrival of the summer season, the Connecticut Office of Tourism has begun an aggressive campaign to lure New Yorkers to the Nutmeg State. The most visible proponents of positioning Connecticut as a vacation destination are First Lady Patricia L. Rowland, also Connecticut's tourism ambassador,

"We are promoting a sampling of themed getaway ideas to truly demonstrate the variety of vacation options available to families and couples in Connecticut," said Mrs. Rowland. "We make it easy for visitors to plan a short Connecticut getaway by showing them places to visit and detailing a number of exciting activities they can participate in en route. The Governor and I are pleased to contribute to this innovative campaign promoting Connecticut -as an ideal place to visit."

The new marketing initiative was developed following an extensive strategic positioning program led by the Connecticut Tourism Council and the Department of Economic & Community Development, Office of Tourism. The strategic marketing plan included a brand review initiative that incorporated input from statewide industry partners, and in-market perception tracking research. It resulted in a definition of market opportunities and key demographics relevant to marketing Connecticut as a tourism destination.

A total of four television spots have been produced, two for out-ofstate audiences and two targeting in-state viewers. The out-of-state campaign will reach leisure travelers in the New York market, targeting boomer couples and families. The thirty-second spots reference two getaway ideas showcasing a romantic getaway for couples and an adventure getaway for families. New York affiliates running the spots include WABC-TV7, WNYW-FOX5 and WPIXTV11. In-state commercials provide tangible vacation ideas designed to encourage residents and visitors to travel around the state and explore many of the attractions and events throughout Connecticut. In-state spots will run from June 4-July 14, and will air on WFSB-TV3, WTIC61, WTNH-TV8 and WVIT-30.

There is also an extensive print and radio arm of the marketing campaign aimed at New York. Four newspaper advertisements will run in key markets in New York and New Jersey.

Each represents a themed getaway and is essentially a sample roadtrip minivacation containing a map with six suggested ideas for activities relating to the theme of that specific getaway.

Sixty-second radio spots will air in the New York market from June 4 through the last week in August. The ads highlight the proximity of Connecticut to New York, define the state as a place to visit for a quick break, and underscore the variety of activities available in Connecticut by providing specific recommendations from museums to shopping.

The campaign's primary objective is to increase Connecticut tourism revenue to further encourage growth of the tourism cluster, one of the emerging industry clusters in Connecticut identified by the state that is driving job growth and economic development. A recent study complet ed by UConn's Center for Economic Analysis for the Connecticut Tourism Council measuring the impact for lodging-based tourism estimates that Connecticut's travel and tourism industry currently contributes nearly $5 billion in gross revenue to the state's economy.