3rd Annual South County Bridal Show
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The South County Tourism Council and Southern New England Weddings presented the third South County Bridal Show on Sunday, January 10 at The Towers in Narragansett. The event highlighted South County's elegance that has remained both affordable and distinctive.
Invitations were sent, the venue was staged, the brides, grooms and families attended. A beautifully crisp and sparkling winter day provided the perfect ambiance for an immensely successful day.
A special thank you to the fine South County wedding vendors who helped put on a superb show: A Airline Express Limousine & Car Service, Alterations Unlimited/After Hours Formal Wear, Amalfi Fine Catering, The Coast Guard House, Eventfully Planned, Fancy Pants Event Planning, Flowerthyme, Formal Hair Design, Meadow Brook Inn, Melissa Ashley Brides, Music Mixers DJ Entertainment, Nana's Gelato, Quidnessett Country Club, Scribe, Shelter Harbor Inn, Spa Mosaic, Susan Mason Photography, Susan Sancomb Photography, The Towers, Weedweavers and West Bay Gourmet.
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The Survey Is In!
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Advantage Marketing Information President and Senior Analyst, Rick Nagele, provided the Council with research supporting the initiatives the Council has pursued in the Award Winning packaging of South County Style Vacation Planner. A conversion study was conducted in September 2009 with 2,616 potential visitors, and an astounding 72% of the respondents reported that they visited the region after requesting information from the South County Tourism Council!
Over half of the respondents said the information provided in the Vacation Planner led them to select South County over competing destinations. Further, the visitors continued to use the information they received during their planning process and while visiting to find things to do and see while in the area.
The survey data suggests that many individuals are incorporating the information provided in the award-winning South County Style Vacation Planner into their vacation destination decision process. "The role of the Tourism Council in packaging all that South County has to offer played a significant role in why respondents chose to visit South County over other competing destinations", Nagel said. "This is viewed as being very significant - work by the Tourism Council can and does influence people to come to South County. This implies that if these efforts were not being made tourism dollars would be lost to other destinations", Nagele added.
Rick Nagele, President & Senior Analysist
Advantage Marketing Information
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Award Winning South County Style Vacation Planner
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Starfish noticeably appeared last year all along South County's shore - surely those starfish arrived to herald our winning the North American Travel Journalist Association Award for Best Editing of a Travel Magazine - finishing in the top ten with National Geographic Traveler. So, it is only fitting that a starfish grace the cover of this year's edition - if only to illustrate, once again, our starlight qualities with the new addition this year of South County 101: Place to go, Things to do, People to see! We hope you will agree it has 'star' quality!
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Free Press is Priceless!
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 Myrna & David Latt at the
Grille on Main in East Greenwich
Council President, Myrna George, hosted six German Travel Writers providing them with a wind
shield tour of South County and the warm hospitality
offered by Hamilton Village Inn, Amalfi of Narragansett, and the Kayak
Centre of Wickford provided many fond memories and plenty to write
about! The value of the coverage in three German consumer newspapers is over $600,000! Myrna also met with David Latt, travel writer for the New York Daily News, as he enjoyed a South County Romantic Food & Travel three-day stay at The Villa in Westerly, while being hosted also by The Ocean House, Champlin's, Matunuck Oyster Bar, Wickford Oyster Bar, The Grille on Main, The Kayak Centre and a particularly delightful personal history tour with Tim Cranston. Mel Allen, Editor of Yankee Magazine toured much of South County while being hosted at the Stagecoach House Inn during a late autumn stay. Yankee will return in the spring to recapture what was sleeping during his first visit. He requested to meander throughout our eleven town region with a trip tik provided by South County Tourism Council...talk about a mystery shopper! By now you have all heard of Soledad O'Brien's boasting of South County's family friendly charms on CNN and enjoying the tradition of George's of Galilee. Sweet...you really cannot beat free publicity! |
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David Ousterhout Honored
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During the Council's Holiday Luncheon, David Ousterhout, Chair of Friend of the Towers, was honored by South County Tourism Council for his 20 years of dedication to restore the Towers, one of South County's historic treasures, to its former and present day glory. David's role in coordinating citizens' groups, private corporations, government and private individuals has provided the community with a boost to tourism by protecting and restoring the history of South County. "His highest aim has been the vital protection and appropriate economic use of the Towers," said SCTC president, Myrna George. "Thanks to him the Towers are once again a jewel in the crown of South County."
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| Tour Rhode Island |
South County Tourism Council is offering three distinctive tours during Tour Rhode Island on May, 1, 2010. We are delighted to to offer two refreshed tours and a new tour!
First, the Arts & Culture Tour will take you to the Nathaniel Green Homestead, Babcock Smith House, Langworthy Farm Winery and South County Museum. Second, the Where Nature Meets History Tour will bring you to Gilbert Stuart Mueseum, Smith's Castle, Carpenter's Grist Mill and Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum. Our newest addition is the South County by Land, By Air and By Sea Tour! This tour will stop at the Seabee Museum & Memorial Park, Quonset Air Museum and will take you on the Rhode Island Bay Lighthouse Cruise.
Historian Jim Rugh, of the Seabee Museum has made our newest tour, South County By Land, By Air and By Sea a reality and we thank him most sincerely for his time and talent. We are additionally impressed with the dedication of our URI Communications Intern, Ms. Kristen Picard, as well as the steady coordination of the ever talented Ms. Jennifer Murray Cantoni, SCTC Marketing Coordinator extraordinaire. Tickets will go on sale February 8 and a full list of itineraies from throughout Rhode Island will be available through ArtTix!
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Bulk Mail 101
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South County Tourism Council's seven Chamber Directors were recently invited to attend an in-service presentation of the new bulk mailing regulations presented by the talented David Girard, USPS Bulk Mail Designer, all the way from Providence, during the Council's Board of Directors meeting. Focused attention was given to his presentation due to the volume of bulk mail that is routinely used as a favorite means of communication for economic development within the southern portion of Rhode Island. |
Board Meeting at Casey's in Wakefield
USPS Presentation
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The Chinese Are Coming!
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Conversations have begun among Tourism Officials throughout Rhode Island regarding the greatest growing population of expected visitors during the next twenty years and the preparations that will be necessary to accommodate these visitors. A recent presentation by the U.S. China Institute at Bryant University revealed that 200-250 million Chinese citizens are financially able to travel. China is the single greatest growth opportunity in the world to western travel destination and tourism organizations. The U.S. formally allowed entry to the Chinese in 2004 and since then, nine percent of U.S. travel is to New York and California. The Chinese travel in small groups, are middle-to-high income earners or are students traveling. And as always, personal recommendation is the greatest assurance of increasing visitors coming to South County. China does not have beaches and travelers from China love beaches and architecture. Mandarin Chinese Simplified is the most universally understood language.
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American Bus Association Marketplace
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American Bus Association Marketplace was well attended and South County, as a destination marketing organization, made connections with more than twenty bus companies and tour operators. The atmosphere at this year's Marketplace was refreshingly and remarkably positive.
Thank you to the Holiday Inn, Coast Guard House, Theatre By The Sea, Matunuck Oyster Farm and Restaurant, Rhode Island Bay Cruises for supplying such great group rates to assist buyers in making their choices.
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Visitors are Seeking Winter Packages
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More than ever packages provide perceived value in this uncertain economic time. Calling all accommodations, restaurants and attractions...please send us your winter packages and specials to post on the Packages section of our website. Email Lillian, ldilluvio@southcountyri.com the details, with expiration dates, and we will post them for you. Please recognize that space is limited. We will do our best to accommodate all vendors, but please understand it may not be possible. Please be in touch with any questions.
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| Free Brochure Space |
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Combining the Registry of Motor Vehicles offices has brought an increase of visitors to our offices at the Stedman Government Center of almost 700 people each week. You are invited to take advantage of this increased "traffic" by dropping off your brochures at our office. We will be happy to display them on our front rack at no charge.
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Did You Know?
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* Of 2,616 people surveyed, the natural beauty of the area, easy drive, beaches and special events were the top influencers of bringing respondents to the South County area.
* South County is primarily a drive market.
* Most visitors coming to area are paying to stay in accommodations, with rental housing topping the list, ahead of hotels and motels.
*South County attracts an above-average demographic as well as families with children.
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