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Challenge Grants To Stimulate Tourism
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Business New Haven
10/4/1999
By: BNH
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HARTFORD - The Connecticut Tourism Council announced 27 challenge grants totaling $4,404,539 to assist non-profit organizations in promoting tourism attractions and events. Challenge grants will be matched or exceeded by funds from the private sector. Said Arthur Diedrick, the state's chairman of economic development: "Our investment in the growth of tourism is a key component in Connecticut's overall development policy. The grants will aid tourism entities in taking many promising initiatives from the planning stages to implementation."
Added James Abromaitis, commissioner of the state's Department of Economic & Community Development: "These awards will enable tourism-related organizations to stimulate economic development statewide through tourism, which has been identified as one of six industry clusters expected to drive future job growth in Connecticut."
The funding can be used for advertising, direct mail, design and production, trade-show participation, public relations, research, expansion of existing programs and Internet development. Funding for the challenge grants are paid from the Tourism Promotion Fund's $1-a-day tax on rental cars.
Abromaitis noted that final selections were guided by a desire to support efforts that will bring visitors to Connecticut for overnight vacations and tourism activities, and that funds were distributed to enable each region of the state to participate. Grants awarded to the New Haven area included:
o International Festival of Arts and Ideas (New Haven) - $25,000 for the development of festival packages to include lodging, food and tickets, as well as a selective outreach program via Metro North, Shore Line East trains and rack brochures.
o Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center (Milford) - $8,000 for promotion of the center and other environmental organizations and nature sites in the Milford area. The project includes production and distribution of brochures via state tourism Welcome Centers, environmental nature centers and other selected locations.
o Yale University Center for British Art (New Haven) - $15,000 for "Take the Train to Britain," a program designed to promote BAC exhibitions via car cards on Metro North trains. A portion of the advertising will coincide with promotion of the 2000 International Festival of Arts & Ideas.
Eat to the Beat
The Millennium edition of the Zagat Connecticut/Southern New York Restaurant Survey covers nearly 900 restaurants rated by more than 2,500 diners in the Nutmeg State and southern New York state (not including New York City). The guide rates prices and dining experiences in area restaurants, as well as listing the best individual restaurants in different categories. Overall, local restaurant spending has spiked upward since the last Zagat survey in 1997. In Connecticut, the average tab rose 7.2 percent from $26.74 to $28.69, not including the average tip of 17.5 percent. While 58 percent of respondents cited inferior service as the most irritating aspect of dining out, 87 percent believe that men receive better treatment than women in eateries. Many of the popularity rankings remained stable, with five of the top six finishers in each market retaining their 1997 positions, including the most popular Connecticut winner, the eponymous Thomas Henkelmann of Greenwich (formerly the Homestead Inn). Other area restaurants making the rankings included Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletano, Sally's Apizza, Gennaro's, Tre Scalini, Union League Cafe, Claire's Corner Copia, Cafe Pika Tapas, Archie Moore's and Bentara. For more information check out www.zagat.com.
The Marketing Market
Riley & Co. of Middletown has completed a corporate-identity package for Mobile Insights of Mountain View, Calif. The company has been on the agency's client roster for three years for conference promotion, but MI only recently approached Riley for logo design, a capabilities brochure, a limited edition poster promotion and Web site consultation, all themed around the company's mobile computing industry leadership. Riley has also designed the company's identity for its newest conference, Go Mobile. In other agency news, Riley has also completed an advertising campaign for Arteffects Gallery, a handmade art and gifts shop in Old Wethersfield, designing the store's logo and ads to run in regional newspapers and magazines thoughout the fall and holiday seasons.
Obsten on the God Squad
The First Baptist Church of Hartford has retained the services of Andrea Obsten Marketing Communications to create and execute a public-relations program for its new First Cathedral in Bloomfield, the largest church in New England and FBCH's new home.
And the Winners Are...
Goodwick Associates of Newtown has received three 1999 American Graphic Design awards, including recognition for the second year in a row for "Excellence in Communication and Graphic Design." The agency won in two different categories: case studies (a piece executed for Triple Point Technology) and brochures (for both Network Synergy and the Jannon Cos.). The Doug Ely Design Group of Fairfield has also won an American Graphic Design award to add to the three it garnered last year. The award, sponsored anually by Graphic Design: USA magazine, was for a self-promotion piece. Entitled "By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea...", the promotional package was designed by president and creative director Doug Ely with a seashore theme to highlight the company's connection to sailing and salt water. Marquardt & Roche/Meditz & Hackett won awards in all disciplines in the Medical Marketing Assiciation's annual creative review of top medical and health-care advertising, the International Awards of Excellence. M&R/M&H picked up a gold, silver and two bronzes for work for Fuji Medical Systems and Hitachi Medical Systems, winning in the direct mail/flat category and in journal advertising-full or fractional page. Cronin & Co. of Hartford has been honored as a top advertising agency by Communication Arts Magazine. Cronin's Mystic Aquarium print ad entitled "Gender Bender" was was chosen to appear in the 40th edition of the Communication Arts Advertising Annual.
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