COUNTY SHIFTS GEARS IN MARKETING TOURISM
Mike McCagg
ccSCOOP News
01-09-10 - 4:30 p.m. - As it seeks to save money, the Columbia County Tourism Department is also looking to change the way the county markets itself.
Gone are the days of extensive partnering with festivals to draw tourists, and back are the days of directing advertising and outreach efforts to nearby population centers. “We are looking at increasing activities in the Metro New York area and the Berkshires,” said Ken Flood, Commissioner for Planning & Economic Development, who oversees the Tourism Department.
In the past, the Tourism Department had concentrated its marketing efforts on attracting tourists from New York City and representing Columbia County a must-stop destination for tourists visiting the Berkshires, but in recent years those efforts have been curtailed in favor of an increase in funding for festivals in the county. |
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The lawn south of the mansion at the Clerment State Historic |
This year, Flood said, less money will flow into funding festivals and more will be directed to outreach efforts in the target markets. Some of that marketing will be done by partnering with Columbia County organizations advertising in those areas. “If Perform Columbia is going to do an ad, there is no reason we can’t join them and split the cost of the advertisement,” said Flood.
At the same time, Flood said, the county is designing a new logo and cutting costs. On the cost cutting front, he said the county has combined its dining and visitors’ guides into one brochure and is now working with a firm, Luminaries, Inc., to sell advertisements in the brochure. “We hope to sell a minimum of $5,000 in advertisements,” he said, which would offset the cost of printing, which is estimated at $35,000.
As to the logo, Flood said his office is at present considering a “final few options” but is leaning toward a “more corporate” logo with just type. Other options include graphics meant to attach an image to the county name. “We’ll make the final call with input from the Tourism Development Board by the end of the month,” he said. |
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The logo currently used on the Columbia County Tourism website |
Sara Griffin, executive director of The Olana Partnership, said that, based on the little information TOP has heard about the new marketing efforts, she is “encouraged.”"The little we have heard we felt was very encouraging. A big part of our market we believe is . . . the New York City population. To any extent that there is a more direct focus on attracting those from the city, that would be a boon for us," she said.
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