The prime tourism season is ready to shift into gear--just as gas prices seem ready to hit new heights. To help counter any fall-off, Acting Governor Donald DiFrancesco has announced several new initiatives, including a new ad campaign focusing specifically on the day trip genre. He also wants the state's Office of Travel & Tourism to increase the availability of foreign language materials.
"For the first time, a summer ad campaign will be launched in July and August," DiFrancesco told attendees at the annual Governor's Conference on Travel and tourism last week. "By targeting our message to what's happening in the market, like rising gas prices or rainy days, this campaign is aimed at increasing day trips."
In related activity, DiFrancesco recently signed legislation to provide funding for a variety of historic preservation projects, and he's preparing to give a boost to the state's beach replenishment program. The state had a rough winter in terms of weather, and when that happens it usually mean some of the beaches need fixing.
Besides the ad campaign, which focuses on the US and Canada--the eastern provinces of Canada provide a steady stream of beach-goers each summer--the Office of Travel & Tourism is offering a program of discounts from more than two dozen tourism "partners" around the state. Despite some budget cutbacks in other sectors, the state has increased its funding level for tourism by $4 million for this year.
"The tourism industry is of paramount importance to the overall economy of the state," according to DiFrancesco. He noted in his presentation that tourism accounted for 169.1 million trips last year.
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com. For more inforrmation visit Asset & Logo Licensing.