| Here Come the Brides!! |
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 The South County Tourism Council is pleased to announce the 2008 South County Bridal Show which will take place on Sunday, January 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm at The Towers in Narragansett. Since April, the SCTC and a group of key wedding vendors from throughout the region have been planning this bridal event in an effort to present the South County region as an affordable and distinctive wedding destination. The development team has put together an intimate, elegant bridal show that will promote South County as an ideal place for a wedding, rehearsal dinner or shower. It is sure to promote South County unlike any other bridal show in the state!
With over 2.5 million couples marrying each year in the U.S. (reflecting $60 billion in retail sales) and a trend toward smaller, more intimate ceremonies, outdoor weddings with tents in parks, beaches and backyards, the South County Bridal Show will showcase the casual elegance that is South County.
Some of the participating vendors at the bridal show are Amalfi Fine Catering in Narragansett, Basketcase in South Kingstown, Bridal Finery in East Greenwich, Bridals by Liz in North Kingstown, East Greenwich Formals, Flowerthyme in South Kingstown, Meadow Brook Inn in Charlestown, Melissa Ashley Brides in Westerly, Music Mixers DJ Entertainment in Narragansett, Susan Sancomb Photography in South Kingstown, The Towers in Narragansett, Three Sisters Boutique in Exeter and Weedweavers in South Kingstown. Southern New England Weddings is also partnering with us to help promote this event.
Brides can meet with quality wedding professionals, find great wedding ideas, see the latest bridal gown fashions and floral trends in an up-close and personal setting, and win great prizes including a bridal gown! The show will include food sampling, music, models showcasing the latest bridal styles, prizes and more! In addition, the Council has created the South County Wedding Planner that will be unveiled and distributed at the bridal show.
Space is limited! Anyone wishing to participate at the bridal show may contact Kimberly Charlet, Marketing Director, at 401-789-4422. |
| Council Scores |
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South County Tourism Council announces the results of a visitor information survey conducted for the agency by BizGrader.com, a leading provider of customer information management systems.
The survey provided South County Tourism Council an interactive analysis to gain insight into our visitors' experience, while allowing visitors the opportunity to express their opinion of their visit.
Respondents' voices have been heard and the results are clear..."South County's Visitor Experience" is rated 95 percent (A), "Marketing our 11 Towns" is rated 100 percent (A+).
Survey cards were graciously distributed by our South County accommodations and we truly do appreciate everyone's support. |
| Added Value is Priceless |
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The South County Tourism Council is happy to report on recent FREE publicity that was generated for the South County region. The Boston Globe ran a two-page spread featuring our beautiful beaches. Small Market Meetings featured South County's fabulous golf options. Wickford was featured in Newport Life Magazine. Saveur Magazine, The Courier, Providence Business News, The New York Times, RI Monthly and Trip Advisor were other publications that mentioned the beauty of South County and what it has to offer. There were four selections for South County in Yankee Magazine's Best Editor's Picks: Burlingame State Park Campground and Dave's Coffee in Charlestown; Shelter Harbor Inn and Sun-Up Gallery in Westerly. All told, added value is priceless! You can't beat free, positive editorial when it comes to generating visitor interest in South County! |
| SCTC 21st Annual Dinner Meeting |
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South County Tourism Council's 21st Annual Dinner Meeting was held at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island, the evening of Thursday, September 6. David C. DePetrillo, RIEDC, Director of Tourism, installed incoming Board Members for 2007-2008: Pam Lyons, Charlestown; Larry Harvey, Coventry; Dale Grogan, North Kingstown and Kara Russo, South Kingstown.
The 2007-2008 South County Tourism Council Executive Board Members are Bill Bokon, Chairman, Richmond; Debra Fournier, Vice Chairman, Coventry; Frank Prosnitz, Treasurer, East Greenwich; Charles Beck, Secretary, Charlestown.
Dignitaries from across the state were in attendance. Michael Tikoian, Chairman of Coastal Resource Management Council, was the keynote speaker and spoke of the importance of preservation, protection and restoration of the coastal areas within the state and the important link between tourism and our coastal areas. The CRMC manages dredging, aquaculture, habitat and wetland restoration, the Clean Marina Program and Rights-of-Way to the shore and other programs. Among its many projects, "CRMC strives to replenish beaches that suffer from erosion and other natural processes, through beneficial re-use of sand and material from other CRMC's dredging and habitat restoration projects," said Tikoian. The Starlight Award Recipients were:
● Annual Rythm & Roots, Charlestown
● Nathanael Greene Homestead, Coventry
● Main Street Stroll, East Greenwich
● Yawgoo Ski Valley, Exeter
● URE Outfitters, Hopkinton
● Aunt Carrie's, Narragansett
● Wickford Gourmet, North Kingstown
● Washington County Fair, Richmond
● Silver Lake Cottage B&B, South Kingstown
● Department of Environmental Management, West Greenwich
● Misquamicut Music Festival, Westerly |
| Charlestown Seafood Festival ABA Award |
Congratulations to the Annual Charlestown Seafood Festival in Charlestown on their being selected by the American Bus Association as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for the year 2008. Nominated by the South County Tourism Council, the 24th Annual Charlestown Seafood Festival was selected from hundreds of events as one of the best events to experience via motor coach next year.
This Top 100 Event received worldwide attention via the media - television, radio and print - such as, USA Today and CNN. As an ABA Top 100 Event, The Annual Charlestown Seafood Festival will be included in the ABA's internationally recognized event directory for bus and tour operators, the travel industry and the general public. Myrna George, President of SCTC, said, "The Council is thrilled their nomination has been recognized two years in a row - 2007 Rhythm & Roots Festival and the 2008 Charlestown Seafood Festival! The dedication of the Charlestown Chamber of Commerce and so many volunteers are a tribute to this successful event...a true community event!"
A description of South County Tourism Council events and contact information is included in the Top 100 Events publication, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations Magazine. In addition, the entire Top 100 list and specific event information will be listed on ABA's website at www.buses.org |
| 6th Annual Photo Contest |
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South County Tourism Council's 6th Annual Photo Contest winners were unveiled on August 22nd at the Courthouse Center for the Arts. Prizes totaling over $1,000 were awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners and five runners-up. Special thanks to Deb Stallwood, Board Member to the Courthouse Center for the Arts, who judged the entries. Winners were chosen from nearly 400 entries and were selected on the basis of beautifully capturing the people and places that define the charismatic, nature-based attractions of our 11 towns. South County Tourism Council's Style Magazine, Golf Brochure, Wedding Planner and Map will be colorfully graced by these photographers' truly-inspired creativity. Thank you to all who entered and particularly Karen Cooke, Marketing/Promotion Manager, for her enthusiastic planning!
The top three winners were: 1st place - John Woodmansee; 2nd place - Franca Cirelli and 3rd Place - Michael Gocha. Among these, ten Honorable Mentions were also hung and honored.
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| "Journey to the Summit" |
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Find out how you can target business from the international leisure market at the free "Journey to the Summit" educational meeting on Friday, December 14, 2007, at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick from 10:00 am - Noon. This informative meeting will showcase how to acquire business from close to 2 million international visitors - New England's fastest growing tourism sector. This meeting will preview the Discover New England annual "International Marketplace and Tourism Summit", that will take place in April in Connecticut - a must for all interested in international tourism marketing.
The Discover New England Annual Tourism Summit & International Marketplace is an annual conference aimed at educating the New England hospitality industry about international tourism marketing. The conference is held each year in a different New England state and will be in Rhode Island in 2010.
To reserve your space at the FREE "Journey to the Summit" meeting, please RSVP to Jayne Panarello, Rhode Island Tourism Division, 401-278-9152 or JPanarello@riedc.com no later than Friday, December 7, 2007. Space is limited - don't hesitate! |
| Fall Conference |
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On October 18-20, the New England Conservation & Development Area Council held their premier New England event at The Village Inn in Narragansett. Over 150 attendants from all over New England participated in workshops, tours or "Rhode Trips", as well as RC&D Council training & auctions. South County Tourism Council provided promotional material and itineraries of each South County town to the RC&D visitors. Special thanks to Crosswynd Traders who generously donated South County Tourism Council sweatshirts to 150 new tourism ambassadors attending the conference. | |
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Did You Know?
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2.5 million couples
marry each year
in the U.S!
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$60 billion in retail
sales are generated
by weddings.
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Nearly 1,200 brides
applied for marriage
licenses in South
County in 2006.
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There has been an
increased popularity of
destination weddings. |
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