Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau Receives Tourism Promotion Grant
On October 17, New York State Department of Economic Development Commissioner Charles A. Gargano announced the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau would receive a New York State Matching Funds Grant of $75,630 to help support local tourism promotion efforts. The award marks the third consecutive year the Convention and Visitors Bureau has received the maximum dollar amount available a county can receive through the program. In 2007, 18 tourism related entities will be receiving money from the grant, the largest number of local partners to take part in the program in the last 15 years.
The Matching Funds Grant program was originally created to help local tourism events and attractions expand their promotional efforts. In addition to writing the grant and acting as a conduit for the funding, the Tourism Office's responsibilities include, reviewing advertising associated with the program to make sure they comply with state guidelines, coordinating multiple partner ads and negotiating media buys.
Whether the funding is used to extend existing advertising efforts into new markets or to take advantage of new advertising opportunities, the overall impact of the program is that more people will be hearing about all we have to offer in Cortland County.
Visitors Bureau Unveils New Logo
Comedian Rodney Dangerfield is not necessarily remembered for his philosophical observations but he hit the mark when he said:
"Change is good, especially when it comes to underwear."
In keeping with Dangerfield's insightful remark, the Marketing Committee of the Convention and Visitors Bureau decided to pursue a new logo because, as someone on the committee put it, the old one was "stinko."
In the way of a little logo history, the concept of the logo originated in the 19th century in response to a surge in industrial manufacturing. With a dramatic increase in output, global distribution and competition among suppliers, logos were created to differentiate between products in the same industry. Initially crests, emblems or very detailed designs were the standard. Today logos are stylish, conservative and eye-catching, which makes them easier for the brain to remember.
For the past 14 years the Convention and Visitors Bureau had been using a stylized line drawing of the county's hills and valleys as its logo. In an effort to come up with a more contemporary looking logo for the CVB, Hopko Designs of Cortland was selected by the Committee to develop a new design.
The challenge in developing a new logo for an organization like the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau is coming up with an image that conveys all things to all people. It is a daunting task as you try to be all inclusive yet not create a logo that is the size of a hubcap.
Consider color selection alone. Reds and oranges produce excitement and red alone can indicate danger. Yellow tends towards a feeling of irritation, while dark blues and greens create a sense of relaxation and comfort. Then of course there are always exceptions, McDonalds uses both red and yellow in their logo.
"We went through many concepts and versions of the logo and I am very happy with the end result," Scott Hopko, owner of Hopko Designs said in summarizing the project. "I hope the logo will be well received by the community."
The final version of the logo is a stylized rendition of Cortland County's hills and waterways. The colors incorporated in the design lend themselves to the nature of our rural landscape and the stroke of the image project a sense of movement and vitality. The finished product is one that will serve the Convention and Visitors Bureau well in promoting Cortland County.
Guess Who is Coming to Dinner
Group Tour Operators Visit Cortland County
A report generated by the American Bus Association determined, "One motor coach, spending one night in a destination, leaves behind between $5,000 and $12,000 in a destination's economy in spending, lodging, taxes, etc." With an economic impact as substantial as that, it is no wonder the motor coach market is one of the most competitive in the tourism industry. Even with 3,500 motor coach businesses in the U.S. and Canada, many New York counties use a very determined approach to bringing motor coaches into their area.
Not to be deterred by a little competition, the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau recently hosted a Motor Coach Familiarization Tour. Working with Liz Marrapese, Tourism Marketing Manager of the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau, this three day "fam tour" titled "Savor the Flavor" brought 17 tour operators to our area for the purpose of introducing them to a number of tour options.
As the name of the tour implies, the intent of the visit was to give the tour operators a taste of the culinary, cultural and historic products we have to offer. Picking from a list of options provided to them at an earlier date, they elected to visit the Country Music Park Hall of Fame and the 1890 House Museum. For a dining experience they were looking for a local restaurant that was not a franchise, moderately priced and willing to accommodate an entire coach full of people at one sitting and chose the Community Restaurant in Cortland. For a cultural event they were very interested in the Center for the Arts in Homer and, as luck would have it they were able to enjoy an outstanding performance by Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders.
The visit wasn't just about wining and dining prospective business partners. A good deal of time was involved in touring accommodations, giving our local hoteliers an opportunity to sell their properties, discussing the logistical issues associated with bringing motor coaches into the community and establishing a comfortable working relationship that will ultimately bring new business to Cortland County.
Searching for Sliders:
Verizon – USA Luge Challenge Visits Greek Peak
If you have ever watched the luge competition at the Olympic Winter Games and thought to yourself "I could do that," here is you chance. February 10-11, 2007 the Verizon-USA Luge Challenge will be at Greek Peak Mountain Resort, searching for sliders.
Kevin Morrin, Director of Snow Sports and Sales at Greek Peak is the individual responsible for bringing the event to the Cortland area. He saw the Luge Challenge at another ski area and contacted USA Luge to see if they would consider Greek Peak. Morrin submitted a bid and this past fall representatives from USA Luge did a site visit. They liked what they saw and agreed to bring Greek Peak on as a venue, one of only six sites nationwide that will host the activity.
The Challenge is open to participants in four categories: men/women 18 and over and boys/girls 10-18. The program uses a recreational version of the luge sled used in the Winter Olympics. USA Luge National Team athletes will be on hand to demonstrate proper techniques and work with potential sliders. The morning sessions will be devoted to practice runs and learning to handle the luge sled. The afternoon will feature timed runs with the five fastest sliders in each category receiving some great prizes.
The Verizon-USA Luge Challenge will be a great fun family event and a great opportunity to experience a new winter sport. And who knows, maybe there will be a future Olympian in the mix.
For additional information on the Verizon-USA Luge Challenge go to www.usaluge.org or contact Greek Peak (www.greekpeak.net) at 835-6111.
