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, and Governor John Rowland. The Rowlands, featured in an ad which will run this month, are part of a new television advertising package which is spear-heading the marketing campaign.

"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.