SCVA – making the most of a bad economy

From the cover of the 2009 Sullivan County Catskills Visitors Guide

MONTICELLO – A destination with much to offer that is less than a day’s drive for a quarter of the nation’s population might sound like the ideal formula for success. 

The Sullivan County Visitors Association believes that, and the numbers, on state tourism trends for 2008, prove it, says SCVA director Roberta Byron-Lockwood.

Sullivan County tourism is up 12.1 percent over 2007. The agency expanded $326 million in visitor spending to the Sullivan County Catskills area, she said.

For 2009, Byron-Lockwood told the county legislature’s Community and Economic Development Committee that they will continue a winning marketing strategy.

“SCVA continues to use the right strategy to get maximum return on investments for every dollar that we put out there … our marketing dollars.  I think we still have a high value destination.  Even with the closure in some of our older hotels, I think you see we’re still doing very well in that area because I think the trick here is that we’re consistently working to have a turnover in those rooms.”

Part of the marking strategy contributing to that turnover is what they call ‘earned media’.  Those are favorable write-ups in out-of-area media that amount to free advertising.  The Catskills have been featured in area as diverse as Denver and Germany, each with its own mountains.

Anyone wishing to pick up a copy of the 2009 Sullivan County Catskills Visitors Guide may do so at the SCVA offices located at 100 Sullivan Ave. in Ferndale or by calling 845-747-4449.

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/April09/06/SCVA_updt-06Apr09.html