HARTFORD, CT – Travelers can now find information on more than 4,000 places to visit, stay and eat in Connecticut as well as hundreds of inspirational travel stories, vacation deals and event listings
HARTFORD, CT – Travelers can now find information on more than 4,000 places to visit, stay and eat in Connecticut as well as hundreds of inspirational travel stories, vacation deals and event listings all in one place.
The completely redesigned and rebuilt website, launched today by the Connecticut Office of Tourism, makes it easier for visitors and residents alike to learn more about the state’s major attractions as well as its hidden gems and to plan their next getaway in just a few clicks.
In March, more than two-thirds of the respondents to a survey of Northeast-based consumers indicated that once vaccinated against COVID-19, they’d be comfortable traveling to destinations within 100 miles of home.
State tourism officials are pointing to that statistic as they launch “Say Yes to Connecticut,” a $1.2 million spring/summer marketing campaign designed to take advantage of the state’s relatively high vaccination rate and Gov. Ned Lamont’s scheduled May 19 rollback of capacity restrictions on restaurants, entertainment venues and attractions.
Last summer, the state made a similar investment in “So Good to See You, Connecticut.” At the time, COVID-19 restrictions were in place, including an advisory that required travelers arriving from most other states to self-quarantine for 14 days.
When Randy Fiveash first arrived in Connecticut about 13 years ago to lead the state’s tourism office he was handed a $1 marketing budget to promote the state.
It wasn’t a joke, either. The situation got so bad that Connecticut was left off a map on a website that promoted New England as a tourism destination.
Things are better today, even in the middle of a pandemic. The state has a dedicated funding stream to promote tourism with a marketing budget around $4.3 million.
Fiveash said helping put in place that dedicated revenue stream 10% of hotel room occupancy tax revenue funds tourism promotion was one of his accomplishments as the state’s tourism director. He recently announced his retirement from the job and worked his last day April 1.
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