Destination BrandWatch (US): New WINTER Tourism Marketing Initiatives from NYC, Philadelphia & Muskegon Mich.

New York City Launches Marketing and Promotional Campaigns to Offer Unprecedented Value to Visitors and New Yorkers This Winter

-Broadway and Restaurant Stars and Partners American Express, AT&T, American Airlines, Travelocity, Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer and Time Out New York Join NYC Tourism Industry to Promote the Get More NYC™ First-Ever Broadway Week, On the House Off-Broadway Promotion, NYC Restaurant Week®, Hotel Deals, Flight Deals and More-

On the heels of last week's announcement of New York City's record year in tourism with 48.7 million visitors, New York City announced the latest marketing and promotional campaigns to drive tourism and boost the local economy during the historically slow travel months of January and February.

Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert Steel and NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta were joined by Broadway star Harvey Fierstein, celebrity chef David Burke, and corporate partners American Express, American Airlines, AT&T, Travelocity, Nickelodeon andTime Out New York at the R Lounge at the Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square to encourage residents and visitors to experience marketing campaigns including the City's first-ever Broadway Week, the Get More NYC campaign, the return of the Off-Broadway promotion On the House and NYC Restaurant Week. The winter initiatives are designed to encourage tourism growth across the five boroughs in the lead-up to achieve Mayor Bloomberg's goal to attract 50 million visitors annually to New York City by 2012.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVRjyd4aErQ]

"After a record year for tourism in terms of jobs, visitation and spending, we look forward to an even more successful 2011," said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert Steel. "These strategic marketing programs developed by NYC & Company will help to boost economic activity across the five boroughs for thousands of businesses across New York City and the 320,000 New Yorkers employed by the tourism industry."

"Today's announcement is the culmination of a promotional campaign that began this past fall during the City's first-ever domestic road show to promote travel to New York City, and we thank our corporate partners American Express, AT&T, American Airlines, Travelocity, Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer and Time Out New York, who have helped us to create our most robust winter savings program ever," said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. "Today we want to remind everyone that there is no better time to visit New York City or – if you you're already a New Yorker – to take advantage of all our great City has to offer."

The Get More NYC campaign, with programs offered throughout January and February highlights special offers across retail, dining, culture, entertainment and hotels. To support local New Yorkers and businesses, American Express^® Cardmembers will receive triple Membership Rewards^® points from January 24 to February 28 at over 300 shops, restaurants, entertainment venues and more when they register their rewards program–enrolled American Express Card starting today.

"New York has so much to offer all year long, and the Get More NYC campaign really shows off the best of winter in the City," said Lisa Skiptunis, Vice President, New York City Client Management, American Express. "American Express is proud to once again partner with NYC & Company and our merchants to offer terrific value and experiences to our Cardmembers."

Source: www.prnewswire.com

Philadelphia engages with the locals via "Write-a-billboard-love-line-get-famous-promotion" -If you love Philly like we love Philly, show us! Write us a "With Love" line and it may end up on a billboard.-

New billboards along I-95 in Philadelphia, Route 30 in New Jersey and on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, urge motorists to go to VisitPhilly.com to submit a "love letter" to Philly. One lucky participant's message will end up on a highway-side billboard (and maybe on an ad resume!)

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is jacking up the "love" part of "city of brotherly love" as a new part of the “With Love, Philadelphia XOXO" campaign. It's just the latest attempt to cultivate and foster both a sense of civic pride and communicate that Philadelphia is more than many outsiders might think. And as with most crowd-sourced campaigns, the journey, not the publicized goal, is the goal.

It's just the latest move from a municipal branding agency that demonstrates how a lot of creativity and a willingness to work outside the normal branding channels, can turn low-budget strategies into big awareness and real results.

Of course, while it is a fun reward to one participant, the final billboard is somewhat inconsequential to the objective of the "Love Philly" campaign. Encouraging participation in, and social network promotion of, a positive activity associated with Philadelphia is the real objective.

The idea is that users will go the the VisitPhilly.com site, create a billboard entry, and then that entry will be emailed back to the creator who can then share it on Facebook and/or Twitter, thus exponentially increasing the reach of the promotion.

Source: http://developmentmarketing.blogspot.com/2011/01/its-always-creative-at-greater.html

Muskegon launches "Catch Our Drift" tourism campaign

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) - Muskegon County tourism officials know how to take a snow storm and make it a positive.

The Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau has launched a new campaign, "Catch Our Drift", to promote winter tourism.

Muskegon County residents were greeted with deep snow and plenty of options to play in it. It's a day tourism promoters say makes the county a great place to visit. Winter play in Muskegon County can involve a variety of activities, from hiking on a snow covered beach to speeding down a sand dune to ice fishing to shooting some pictures at Hoffmaster State Park.

Tourism manager Jill Emery says the campaign will appear on billboards, publications in- and out-of-state, and on-line.

Emery says Muskegon County is well known for summer attractions but the "Catch Our Drift" campaign is aimed at reminding potential travelers that there's fun to be had in the winter too. Source: www.wzzm13.com