Central Regional Tourism District Newsletter
Newsletter Volume 1

Dear Members and Friends of the Central Regional Tourism District,

It's been less than a year since the Greater New Haven Tourism District and River Valley/Connecticut joined forces, and it has been an exciting, busy and very productive journey.

Thanks to the hard work and commitment from our small staff, our volunteer Board, and the dozens and dozens of committed tourism advocates who know the economic and cultural arts & heritage value of this industry, our office is working harder than ever to continue our tourism marketing mission.

Longtime River Valley Tourism Operations Manager Debbie Giantonio and I work full-time to manage the needs of group tour leaders, leisure travelers, travel media and local hospitality industry partners. Paul Mayer, our former Executive Director, still has a creative hand in production of our promotional materials, and Laura Soll continues to coordinate public relations activities that keep our tourism district in front of both local and national media. In addition, we are contracting with REX (Regional Economic Xcelleration) to maximize our marketing efforts in Greater New Haven.

We are located at One Constitution Plaza in Downtown Hartford and, with the addition of 19 new cities and towns, represent 65 Connecticut communities, each with its own uniqueness and tourism appeal. As part of the reorganization, we added a new group of town representatives and industry leaders to our team.

Our goal throughout this transition has been to involve as many constituents and tourism partners in our efforts as possible. In this e-newsletter and future communications, you will learn about new marketing projects planned to complement our successful continuing endeavors.

We welcome your involvement and encourage you to join us as we market our wonderful leisure attractions and resources. Please feel free to contact Debbie or me at any time.
-Anne Lee, Executive Director

Calling all Bed & Breakfasts!
The popularity of our region's bed & breakfasts is growing, as is the variety of local properties. That's why our Tourism District and several B & B owners are forming a special Bed & Breakfast Committee. Members will share marketing and operational ideas and develop new promotional partnerships. A brochure is in the works -one that will feature a list of all B & B's in our district. To join the committee or learn more, contact Debbie at debbieg@visitctriver.com or 860-787-9640.

Regional Fall Brochure Swap
We presented our first-ever Brochure Swap several months ago, to offer attractions, accommodations, eateries and shops a chance to exchange promotional materials and get ready for the summer season. Feedback from participants was tremendous, and we are hosting another Swap to prepare for fall visitors. Join us for this free event on Monday, September 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell, 100 Berlin Road (Route 372) in Cromwell. At 10 a.m., table set up, coffee and networking; Brochure Swap begins at 11 a.m. To register and get more information, contact debbieg@visitctriver.com or 860-787-9640.

Fall Foliage Driving Brochure
Fall Brochure 2010Hard to believe, but soon, thousands of leaf-peepers will travel here to enjoy dazzling fall foliage. As our office has done for years, we are adding to their pleasure with our colorful "2010 Fall Driving Tours" brochure, available in print and on-line.

The free guide features 12 self-guided driving tours through many of our tourism district's communities. Special attractions and farm stands are highlighted, as are river cruises, train rides, and rentals for kayaking, river rafting, and even segways. Also included is a list of major fall festivals. For copies of the print version or to post an event on our website's Fall Festivities page, contact debbieg@visitctriver.com or 860-787-9640. For an on-line copy visit www.centerofct.com

Burgers & Brews
Many say Connecticut serves up the best burgers in the nation! And our local micro-breweries are producing tasty beverages that challenge the major manufacturers'. From Mom & Pop diners to larger restaurants, wouldn't it be fun to travel our region tasting them all? A new "Burgers & Brews Trail" brochure is in development at our office. Posters, print and online brochures are part of the promotion project, to be launched at the "Third Annual Tapping Into Twain Oktoberfest" at the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford on Friday, October 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. At the event, where will be live music, great food including some of the burger hot-spots, and over 20 microbreweries offering samples of the best locally brewed beers. For more information visit www.marktwainhouse.org.

2010 Rose & Garden Weekend
Thanks to Mother Nature, our region's roses and blooms this past June were the most beautiful in years. And thanks to our annual River Valley & Greater New Haven Rose & Garden Weekend, many flower lovers who visited Connecticut could choose from a variety of events and activities, including tours and demonstrations. Our promotional collaboration with nearly 20 local attractions featured a useful print and online brochure with weekend events and year-round sites, as well. This annual partnership project is an easy way for attractions of all sizes to capitalize on their floral assets. We heard that many visitors visited participating attractions with our brochure in hand! Thanks to all who joined us this year - we hope our numbers will continue to "grow" in 2011.

The mission of the Central Regional Tourism District is to increase tourism revenues to the 65 cities and towns in its region.

As a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), Connecticut's Central Regional Tourism Region will employ a variety of marketing initiatives and information distribution programs and services to attract visitors and enhance their visit experiences.

The Central Regional Tourism District will focus marketing efforts on: Attracting out-of-state leisure and business travelers in order to increase overnight visits; and Building awareness of the value of tourism to the regional economy.