The Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC) held its 2022 Annual Meeting & Luncheon on June 21 at Knowlton’s Boathouse in Bridgeport, overlooking the Pequonnock River. The meeting’s theme was “Arts, Culture & Tourism as an Economic Driver,” and the adjacent Armstrong Gallery was the site of an exhibitor showcase centered on businesses and organizations with a connection to the theme— this included Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, the Discovery Science Center, The Entrepreneurship Foundation, Magnolia Chocolatier and Bradley International Airport, among others.
Dan Onofrio, president and CEO of the BRBC, welcomed guests as they enjoyed a buffet lunch.
“I love this job— it’s the hardest one I’ve ever had but I love it,” Onofrio told the gathered crowd as he kicked off the program.
In addition to some procedural votes to appoint new directors, Paul Antonozzi of Antonozzi and Associates was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his long-time support of the BRBC and the contributions of his architecture firm. A short video of BRBC members recalling his hard work and dedication was played, highlighting his work with numerous members of the area’s business community.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim was unable to attend, citing that he felt under the weather, and keynote speaker Noelle Stevenson, the new director of the Connecticut Office of Tourism, was recovering from an injury and could not deliver her remarks. Stevenson sent a recorded message and asked Jill Adams, CEO of the Avon-based public relations agency Adams & Knight, to share the Office of Tourism’s new advertising campaign with attendees.
“Thank you for asking me to address the regional business council’s annual meeting,” Stevenson said in a recorded message. “I’m disappointed that I cannot be there with you in person while I’m still recovering. That said, I was so thrilled to hear that you were focusing your annual meeting towards tremendous cultural tourism opportunities in the Bridgeport region.”
Stevenson also praised Bridgeport’s efforts to become a “musical mecca.”
“There’s definitely a new buzz in this area,” Stevenson continued, “and I echo your enthusiasm for leveraging our incredible music offerings to attract more visitors to Bridgeport. As a matter of fact, one of our key cultural initiatives is to expand our efforts as to lure music festivals to Connecticut and Bridgeport is by far a key example of an extremely desirable footprint.”
“I hope I can reflect just a fraction of the Office of Tourism’s enthusiasm around this new vision that Noelle mentioned,” Adams said as she took the stage.
The new campaign paints Connecticut as the place to “Find your Vibe.” Citing a recent economic impact study that found arts and culture related tourism generates roughly $15.5 billion in annual business sales, Adams reminded attendees “this is business that’s coming to people in this room.”
Adams also highlighted that the same data showed tourism brings the state around $2.2 billion in tax revenue every year and supported 147,000 jobs. To support this important industry, the Office of Tourism is revamping CTVisit.com and rolling out an ad campaign that will eventually expand to reach not just regional visitors, but people from across the country and overseas.
The new campaign will be focused on adrenaline junkies, lovers of the outdoors, multicultural events, and members of the LGBTQ community— demographics the Office of Tourism has identified as offering major potential for growth.
“We are too often known as quiant and white and stodgy,” Adams said, expressing hope that the new campaign will banish that outdated perception of the state.
