Rendell refocuses tourism efforts

Selling Pennsylvania to tourists is going to take a turn over the next few years.

"Tourism marketing was woeful." Gov. Ed Rendell said at a briefing with the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association last week. The remarks came in response to questions about why 10 employees in the state tourism marketing

office were fired late last month. Rendell cited the normal transition between administrations as one reason for the changes, but he also said he was unhappy with the "cookie cutter" approach taken by tourism commercials. He was especially critical of the slogan "Memories that last a lifetime," which he said was too generic and could be used with any state. "The TV ads were pedestrian," Rendell said.

Rendell may have a point, said Anne Druck, president of the York County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She said she was thumbing through a magazine this weekend and saw the "Memories" slogan used elsewhere. Druck said she was surprised by Rendell's harsh words but not by the changes. State budget cuts have put pressure everywhere, she said.

Changes in personnel might work in York County's favor, she said. Druck has been frustrated with the state office for changing the name of the region where York County is located without consulting her. It went from Hershey/Dutch Country Region to Hershey Gettysburg Dutch Country Region. When the York visitors bureau requested that it be added, too, state officials turned it down, Druck said.

"York has maybe not necessarily been on the radar screen of the travel and tourism office because we are not one of the big players," she said. "I would hope that York would be considered more seriously by the new administration."

York County ranked seventh statewide in tourism in 2000, with $754 million spent, according to a state report. Allegheny County was first, with $2.2 billion; it was followed by Philadelphia County with $1.9 billion; Lancaster County, $1.3 billion; Dauphin County, $1.1 billion; Montgomery County, $1 billion; and Berks, $762 million.

The firings at the top included Rose Mape, executive director of tourism marketing and operation; Deb Bowman, director of marketing; and Brian Kreider, director of the film office. Efforts to reach them were unsuccessful. Rendell said he did not know whether all 10 positions would be filled.

James "Mickey" Rowley, the former executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, became the new deputy secretary of the tourism, film and economic developmentmarketing office May 1. He did not return calls for comment.

While Rendell criticized domestic marketing, international tourism increased 8 percent in 2001, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's most recent statistics. The report showed that, out of 34 states listed, international tourism dropped in all but five. International tourism to Philadelphia increased by 12 percent.

Tourism is the second-largest industry in the state after agriculture. Because of budget cuts, the state's tourism office will get $11.4 million, $2.7 million less, than this year. This will affect local tourism offices indirectly by cutting support services. The state will cut about $1 million to regional marketing partnerships and tourist promotion assistance, a matching grant program.

The only increase is in the product development program, which encourages counties to work together to market destinations. The program will get $2.5 million. It received $250,000 in fiscalyear 2001 but nothing this year. The state wants counties to work more efficiently on marketing campaigns, said Dennis Yablonsky, Department of Community and Economic Development secretary.

Despite the budget cuts, the firings caught some tourism officials off guard.

"We were somewhat surprised that there were such wide cuts in such a transition," said L. Michael Ross, a board member of the Hershey-Capital Region Visitors Bureau. "That's pretty deep." Each new administration thinks it can find a better campaign or slogan, but sometimes that can result in confusion among the target audience, he said.

"I think over the years we've lost some consistency," said Ross, who has been heavily involved in the past decade with marketing tourism in Franklin County. "When you keep changing, it's hard for the consumer to understand what you're marketing."

Changing the state's slogan might be a good idea, Druck said. She said it would generate publicity similar to that produced when York County came out with its "Factory Capital of the World" catch phrase. The new name has been mentioned in newspapers nationwide, including the Wall Street Journal.

As mayor, Rendell was successful in marketing Philadelphia, Druck and Ross said. The fact that Rendell is emphasizing tourism is important, they added. "It's a good thing that our governor is supportive of the industry," Druck said.