Location: MASS MoCA, Photo Credit: Kara Thornton
Gov. Charlie Baker has reacted to a state budget deficit of $98 million with midyear reductions in funding to regional tourism. To ensure that this shortfall will not affect our marketing efforts in key target markets, 1Berkshire has reacted by approving a one-time use of reserve funds to maintain the branding message “Visit the Berkshires” in our key target markets of Boston and New York City. This action was taken with the support of the Board of Director’s Revenue and Executive Committees.
“Last month we were informed that 1Berkshire would lose 50% of the dollars it was due from the Regional Tourism Grant Funds, which amounted to a loss of $150,000,” stated Lauri Klefos, Chief Marketing Officer for 1Berkshire. “Finding this out in December made the effect of this cut even more dramatic as pledged funds had already been spent for fall and winter campaigns and the cut left us virtually without funds to execute plans for January – June 2017,” she continued.
Jonathan Butler, 1Berkshire CEO advocated for the restoration of marketing funds, reminding Board members of the impact that the increase in visitor spending has brought to the region. The figures for 2015 continued to show a year-over-year growth over the last five years, translating into an additional $85 million spent by visitors while in the Berkshires today. “Taking that spending for granted in a year when the competition from upstate New York has grown substantially is a big mistake,” he said. “Because of our increase in capacity brought about by our 1Berkshire merger, we were not only able to recognize the danger this presented to our businesses that rely on visitor spending but react quickly due to the strength of our consolidated reserves,” he added.
Location: Great Barrington, Photo Credit: Ogden Gigli
Beginning in April last year, berkshires.org received over 100,000 sessions per month attributed to successful digital retargeting, search engine marketing and Yahoo and Pandora marketing campaigns. Opportunities to enhance exposure on the website are ongoing and detailed on our media schedule.
In addition to paid advertising, 1Berkshire maintains monthly contact with more than 80,000 subscribers through its Visitor e-news, daily posts on Facebook which reach over 20,000 fans and we continue to pitch travel writers throughout the year. Last year our PR efforts resulted in over 12 million impressions of editorial coverage. The promotion of the Berkshires as a visitor destination remains a priority of 1Berkshire and the response to Governor Baker’s actions will ensure that our tourism clients are given the coverage they deserve.