Warren County tourism committee shifts outreach from Canada toward U.S. Northeast, earmarks $50,000; staff to share visitor personas with businesses

The Warren County Tourism Committee received an update on marketing strategy that includes continued outreach to the Canadian market and a reallocation of some media dollars to target the U.S. Northeast.

A tourism staff member said the committee is running a social campaign aimed at Canadian travelers to keep goodwill and encourage return visits when circumstances permit. "We have been watching the Canadian market due diligently, and we are doing a social campaign locally, to the Canadian market ... to let them know we welcome you back when you are ready," the staff member said. The staff member said about $50,000 has been earmarked for the effort over the next couple of months.

Staff said they are creating visitor personas based on past Canadian visitors and will share that persona data with local businesses so businesses can tailor their own marketing. The staff member described shifting some advertising dollars from Canada into the Northeast U.S. while they build profiles of likely visitors. "Once we have that persona, we are gonna share it with businesses," the staff member said.

Committee members raised requests from hotel and resort owners for a roundtable to brainstorm the future of tourism in Warren County and suggested inviting elected officials, business stakeholders and the consultant conducting the visitor study. Supervisor Ryan relayed those requests to staff and asked the committee to help recruit interested businesses. Staff said they plan a larger tourism seminar in the fall tied to a visitor study being conducted by Josiah, but that they are open to organizing a smaller roundtable earlier in the season.

The staff member discussed price sensitivity among Canadian visitors and quoted an exchange-rate observation: "The last I looked, it was $1.70 to a dollar," the staff member said, adding that exchange-rate differences and broader factors influence cross-border visitation. Staff said they will continue multiple campaigns simultaneously and encouraged businesses to share email lists and offers targeting Canadian customers.

Next steps: staff will complete visitor personas, share them with local businesses, proceed with the social campaign funded at about $50,000, and plan a fall seminar; staff also said they can organize a smaller roundtable sooner if stakeholders request it.