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May 13, 2010

As we are preparing to kick off what promises to be an exciting tourism season in Baltimore, it is disheartening that we must deal with unnecessary distractions and refute inaccuracies publicly reported and discussed about a new summer advertising campaign. This week, Visit Baltimore unveiled its newest marketing initiative, "Find Your Happy Place in Baltimore." This is a seven- month advertising campaign that will promote Baltimore to potential visitors in Pittsburgh, central Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Richmond and Washington, D.C. It is a campaign based on extensive research that shows people, more than ever, are looking to do things that make them happy after a long economic downturn. Visit Baltimore is capitalizing on this national mood and trend with a comprehensive program that promotes those places and things in Baltimore that are certain to make visitors happy.

Let us set the record straight: Find Your Happy Place in Baltimore is not a new tagline or slogan for the city. It is an advertising campaign to promote Baltimore during the summer and fall of 2010. Visit Baltimore is tasked with bringing leisure visitors and conventions to Baltimore, and that is what this campaign is designed to do. Second, it has been reported that city taxpayers are paying for the $500,000 campaign. This is also untrue. Visit Baltimore receives most of its funding from the hotel occupancy tax, not from city taxpayers. That means Visit Baltimore receives its funding from the very people it is trying to attract - visitors who come and stay in our hotels. Third, the Find Your Happy Place campaign name cost Visit Baltimore zero dollars to create. It was included in our monthly retainer with our advertising agency Carton Donofrio. The $500,000 was spent on placing ads on TV, on radio and in print.

What isn't being talked about, but is just as important, are the partnerships Visit Baltimore is using to leverage our marketing dollars to extend the campaign's advertising reach and promotional schedule to ultimately influence more potential visitors with a greater pool of marketing funds. Much like the Waterfront Invasion in the summer of 2009, we are teaming up with the Maryland Science Center and National Aquarium to pool our resources so we can have a stronger campaign. The Waterfront Invasion generated more business for both the Science Center and Aquarium, and Find Your Happy Place will no doubt do the same. Partnerships have become the cornerstone of our marketing efforts in recent years, and it is because of these partnerships that Visit Baltimore has been able to produce several joint citywide marketing campaigns in recent years such as the Poe Celebration and Heroes and Genius.

Visit Baltimore is being unfairly criticized for an advertising campaign that supports our members' restaurants, attractions, hotels, museums and shops. If we don't advertise, visitors will not come to Baltimore, and the city will not see the $30.1 million in direct tourism-generated tax revenue it collected in FY 2009. Tourism is one of the top industries in Baltimore, and, if we do not advertise, more than 78,000 jobs in the Baltimore region will be affected.

The city's return on investment in tourism marketing is estimated at $54 for each $1 spent. That is a great investment. Maryland was one of five states nationwide that saw its number of visitors rise in 2009, according to figures released Tuesday by the Maryland Office of Tourism. That success is credited in large part to increased promotional spending in jurisdictions such as Baltimore.

Baltimore needs to spend more money on advertising and promotions, not less. Our competitors in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., spend significantly more. It is the seasonal campaigns that we do in partnership with our tourism community that keep Baltimore top-of-mind for travelers, and a viable and successful destination. We hope employees of Baltimore's $3 billion tourism industry will stand up and be heard.