Area's tourism marketing plans meet evolving pandemic

CLINTON COUNTY | The Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau says getting travelers to venture to "the coast" of Lake Champlain will undoubtedly be challenging moving forward with phased re-opening plans, mostly due to remaining COVID-19 fears. These fears also impact residents, shaping their perspective on travelers, shared Director of Tourism Kristy Kennedy at a recent webinar announcing the plans. A CHANGE IN PLANS, MARKETING The bureau released "Coasting Forward: A Plan to Market and Promote the Adirondack Coast During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic", which also includes some related plans for the Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG). "Promoting Clinton County and the greater North Country area is looking a little different," said Kennedy during the webinar. In light of changes, the team has returned to more "organic" efforts. The plan reads, "We know the best use of funds is to hang tight and spend them when they will have the biggest ROI in terms of room nights and sales tax revenues." Communication continues with other area tourism agencies to create unified regional messaging in these uncertain times for travelers. Some industry partners include: Visit the USA, I Love NY, Adirondack Regional Tourism Council (ARTC), New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA), local municipal government agencies and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST). AT-HOME TRAVEL ENCOURAGED, PHASING IN Kennedy and Assistant Director of Tourism Alyssa Senecal are optimistic about new opportunities and challenges ahead. The team is particularly looking forward to empowering an otherwise unconventional "Buy Local, Support Local" movement with a push for residents to create "the ultimate staycation" for themselves within a 4-5 mile radius. "We want to make sure everything we're doing matches the comfort level of the community," said Kennedy. Changes will roll out in four phases to match the state's process. "Every phase is going to be fluid until we feel the next one is ready to take place." New developments include an increased digital edge, such as social media videos, updated website information surrounding safety measures, increased influencer marketing, and a persistent emphasis on virtual experiences. Efforts will retain bilingual messaging for the French-Canadian market. CANADIAN VISITORS, TOURISM IN A NEW ERA Quebec and Ontario are the area's largest target markets; as such, temporary border closures have largely impacted revenue opportunities for tourism partners and businesses. Borders currently remain closed to non-essential travel through the end of June, with an expected renewal of the travel ban through late July. In 2018, traveler spending was reported at around $142 million. Some businesses have not survived the closure period, and still more may shut down for good over the coming months; particularly with some staple, large-scale events not taking place as a result of distancing measures. And, as with all state programming, questions over funding remain concerning "I Love New York Matching Funds", which the bureau's budget relies on, said Kennedy. The bureau is a division of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, which will also take a revenue hit in 2020, as a result of the pandemic, recently announcing an estimated loss between $500,000 and $800,000 due to fundraising event cancelations. As re-openings continue, an uptick in travelers from the Saratoga and Capital Region markets is anticipated. FISHING TOURNAMENTS, NO SPECTATORS Annual fishing tournaments on Lake Champlain, a significant economic driver, will move forward with caution and likely without spectators. More information will be released as the dates approach. A return to a visitor experience like those in the past is not expected in 2020, if in 2021. "We will tweak the messaging to constantly remind travelers that we must practice safe travel habits and be sensitive as well as aware to those around us," says the plan. "Fishing is one of the first markets that did open up in Phase 1," said Kennedy. "It's a very individualized sport." But she also said there's uncertainty surrounding amenities like restaurants and lodging, not to mention safety surrounding weigh-in processes, which may occur virtually. July 30 will be the first of three remaining tournaments; two have canceled since the start of the pandemic. "We know this is a hard time for everyone, but your Visitors Bureau team, along with the leadership of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, will continue to implement aggressive marketing efforts, to not only help the community bounce back but become stronger and more diverse," the team said.

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Area's tourism marketing plans meet evolving pandemic

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