2018 is off to a busy start. The 2018 Sullivan Catskills travel guide is already seeing re-distribution at various information centers along the I-87 corridor and Rte. 81 information centers. The guide was well received at over 15 trade and travel shows that the Sullivan County Visitors Assn. (SCVA) attends with its member partners as well.
SCVA’s website and social media platforms continue to develop new strategies to add new followers and interaction from visitors.
The Sullivan Catskills has been doing numerous print and digital placements in anticipation of luring the potential travelers as it is the goal to make 2018 even more successful than 2017 in increasing visitor spending, sales tax and room tax.
With SCVA’s increased marketing efforts to the international market, the SCVA has hosted familiarization tours (FAM Tours), a common tool in the tourism industry geared towards press and the travel trade.
The hope is after the tour, that press will write stories and articles about the Sullivan Catskills and the travel trade begin booking tours and promoting the area in their marketing efforts.
In 2017, stories generated over $1 million in earned marketing value and 2018 is set to surpass that figure.
“FAM Tours offer the perfect opportunity to bring writers and tourism professionals into the Sullivan Catskills for a taste of what we offer domestic and international travelers,” Roberta Byron Lockwood, President and CEO, Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, said. “We’re basically creating the Sullivan Catskills experience and acting as their tour guides for 2-3 days.”
At the end of February, SCVA hosted a FAM Tour for press and tourism professionals from Ireland and Scotland. The primary objective was to promote the Catskill region as a “must see” destination.
This latest FAM highlighted our two new attractions – Resorts World Catskills and Yo1 Wellness Center – adding to our legendary Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Catskill Distilling Co., Morgan Outdoors and Prohibition Distillery.
“The Irish and Scottish travel sector is untapped territory,” Herb Clark, Vice President Marketing, Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, said. “With direct service on Norwegian Airlines from Scotland and Ireland to Newburgh’s Stewart International Airport at very competitive prices, we believe we’re going to see more international travelers visiting the Sullivan Catskills”.
For more information on the Sullivan Catskills or to become a part of the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, please visit SullivanCatskills.com.