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June 17, 2020

CT airing $1.2M tourism marketing campaign as economy reopens

Photo | HBJ File Mystic, Connecticut's top tourism destination, is home to more than 80 restaurants.
By Joe Cooper

Connecticut’s economic development and tourism offices are launching a new $1.2-million marketing campaign next week to promote thousands of businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “So Good to See You, Connecticut” multi-media campaign will run between Monday, June 22 and Labor Day on Sept. 7, encouraging residents and travelers in nearby states to visit Connecticut, the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and its Office of Tourism announced Tuesday.

The campaign is launching as the state on Wednesday begins the second phase of its economic reopening plan during the COVID-19 outbreak.

David Lehman, Commissioner, State Department of Economic and Community Development

“We know our state’s tourism and hospitality-related businesses have been extremely challenged by this pandemic,” DECD Commissioner David Lehman said. “But we also know they are particularly well-positioned to capitalize on the pent-up consumer demand to get out and do things again without having to travel too far from home.”

In the coming months, the campaign will showcase numerous hotels, restaurants, attractions, wineries, breweries, museums, historical sites, nature centers and arts and cultural organizations, among other businesses part of the state’s larger $15.5-billion tourism industry.

[Read more: CT’s top tourism destination readies for city travelers, shorter stays and social distancing during pandemic]

Messaging will be delivered via social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest); new content on the state’s tourism website, CTvisit.com; paid search marketing and content seeding programs; a new video series showing how businesses are adapting to social distancing mandates; and a statewide TV campaign beginning in July.

Tourism officials say the campaign is targeted to deliver 94 million impressions across Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Since the COVID-19 coronavirus began to spread across the state in mid-March, the state’s tourism office says it reworked its marketing to promote available tourism-related offerings, such as outdoor activities, virtual tours and restaurants offering takeout and delivery. 

Randy Fiveash, Director of State Tourism

“Not only is promoting Connecticut’s tourism businesses good for the economic recovery of the state, it’s good for the well-being of our residents and visitors to get out and enjoy the tremendous quality of life Connecticut offers,” said Randy Fiveash, director of state tourism.

The health of statewide tourism is especially important because the industry — prior to the pandemic — is Connecticut’s eighth largest employment sector with nearly 85,000 direct jobs, and generates roughly $2.2 billion a year in annual tax revenue.

In April, the state Department of Labor said unemployment in the tourism sector reached 50.1%, making it the hardest hit by coronavirus-related job losses.

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