Connecticut debuts marketing campaign to encourage winter tourism
The Connecticut Office of Tourism has launched a $1 million marketing campaign designed to attract visitors to the state”™s attractions during the winter.
The new “The State I”™m In” campaign is the first integrated marketing initiative designed for the winter tourism season. The campaign, which will feature outreach in both English and Spanish, was announced on Dec. 20 in a press statement by Gov. Ned Lamont”™s office and is scheduled to run through March 31, 2022.
“This new winter tourism campaign showcases just how vibrant, diverse, and inclusive Connecticut is today,” said Lamont. “Not only will it help attract new visitors to Connecticut, but it will also drive revenues to our many incredible restaurants, hotels, attractions and all kinds of local business across the state.”
Tourism is a major economic driver for the state. In the pre-pandemic period, tourism supported more than 123,000 jobs and generated $15.5 billion per year in revenue plus approximately $2.2 billion in annual tax revenues annually.
“The State I”™m In” is a multimedia endeavor that will include new commercials that will run on streaming services across the region and will be incorporated into the local broadcast coverage of high-profile live, including New Year”™s Eve specials, the NFL playoff games, the Academy Awards and the NCAA”™s Big East Finals.
Other marketing routes for “The State I”™m In” will include social media campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, new content on the state”™s CTvisit.com tourism website and paid search marketing and content seeding. Outside of the internet, billboards across the region will feature what the governor”™s office called “authentic and user-generated photos and captions from residents, visitors and influencers” ”” this imagery is being culled from submissions to the CTvisit.com social media channels and website, which is trending toward a 2021 sum of 7 million web visitors.
The campaign will also include earned media outreach, including public relations and email marketing.
“Our goal with ”˜The State I”™m In”™ campaign is to encourage residents and travelers to see Connecticut from a fresh new perspective ”” one that reflects just how vibrant and welcoming the state is,” said Christine Castonguay, director of branding and marketing for the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, said. “As we begin the important process of refreshing Connecticut”™s branding with this campaign, we need to update the perceptions people have of Connecticut ”” and showcase the exceptional quality of life we offer both visitors and residents.”
“Tourism is at its best when we reach a group of diverse audiences and help instill a feeling of curiosity and innovation about a destination,” added Noelle Stevenson, director of the Connecticut Office of Tourism. “”˜The State I”™m In”™ campaign speaks to the vibrancy, energy and edginess of Connecticut”™s tourism offerings. We”™re confident this campaign will not only inspire residents and visitors to explore Connecticut this winter season but will exude a sense of newness about all we have to offer.”
Stevenson became the Connecticut Office of Tourism”™s director earlier this month. She was previously a member of the executive leadership team at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, an agency under Florida”™s Broward County Board of County Commissioners that covers 31 municipalities. Before that, she was vice president of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.