Anthony M. Anthony, the new chief marketing officer for the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), visited Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport during his recent tour of the state. Anthony was visiting locations to meet with stakeholders interested in ensuring that the state has a healthy tourism industry. It was part listening tour and part opportunity to inform the representatives of businesses and nonprofits what steps the state will take to support them during his tenure overseeing the Office of Tourism and Statewide Marketing.
Gregg Dancho, the director of the Beardsley Zoo, hosted the meeting in the Hanson Exploration Station and introduced Anthony after a brief rundown of the history of the state’s support for tourism. In addition to being the host, Dancho is a member of the board of directors for the Western Regional Tourism District.
“The shift to only three tourism districts has yielded both advantages and challenges,” Dancho noted.
Previously the state had more than a dozen individual tourism districts which resulted in stiffer competition for state funding and grants and less sharing of information. According to Dancho, the new model reduced duplication of effort, although ensuring districts had a complete understanding of all their attractions became more challenging.
Dancho also noted that the Beardsley Zoo had reached visitor numbers on par with pre-Covid attendance. Anthony staed that this was a common if not yet universal situation statewide.
“Numbers are up,” Anthony said of visitors to the state. “But one of the things which we will probably be looking at over the next year, unfortunately because our budgets are down a bit from the previous fiscal year, is really focus on that [driving distance] market. We have close to 25 million people within a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Connecticut.”
That focus will be funded with a decrease in ad spending in areas such as Chicago and the South.
“We know that [driving] is the relatively low-hanging fruit to get butts in seats, and that’s really what we want to be doing,” Anthony added.
Anthony also touted CTVisit.com as a useful resource for both visitors and the operators of attractions who can work with the state for free listings.
Members of the audience noted that many people who moved to the state during the pandemic weren’t aware of local attractions, which might also require outreach.
“Couldn’t agree more,” Anthony replied. “One of the things we’re doing on the marketing and branding side is one thing we know which is awful but also interesting is that state pride in Connecticut is very low.”
Yet, Anthony noted, that wasn’t all the surveys showed. “We know people feel Connecticut is a great place to work, live and play. So, we have to figure out what that gap is between state pride and what we have. I think a ‘reeducation’ on all the things that make Connecticut great is a priority in the years to come.”
In order to implement these plans and capitalize on recent positive press such as the state being listed as one of the best spots for hiking by Thrillist owing to many easily accessible trails, Anthony acknowledged there are some budgetary constraints.
“$4.5 million,” Anthony said comprises the year’s budget. “The general fund numbers are up about $250,000 from where they were the previous fiscal year. What’s different is that we don’t have those one-time federal funds from the American Rescue Plan.”
Anthony added that some grants were being sought, and that he intended to work more closely with the governor’s office than was typical for his role. He indicated that he believes that the future of tourism remains bright in Connecticut.
“I will say in closing that the industry is, despite being small, marching very much in a forward direction,” he said. “The momentum we built up in the last couple years, both with additional federal dollars as well as the budget we have in place now, we’re going to maximize it and are going to get folks from both in state and out of state visiting. They’re coming to all of your various attractions and hotels and restaurants.”
