In an effort to boost area tourism in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the
Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau has created a four-page
newspaper insert aimed at leisure travelers. The insert includes three dozen coupons with special offers from area hotels and attractions. The insert will be included in Booth Newspapers, a statewide
newspaper chain, as well as The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. "This is a short term promotion that encourages people to take advantage of experiences within a short drive or in their own back
yard," said Larry Alexander, DMCVB president and CEO. Advertising to metro Detroit consumers is a departure from the bureau's typical marketing strategy since their mission is to encourage visitors
from outside of the tri-county area. "If people don't feel comfortable traveling, no amount of advertising is going to convince them to do otherwise," said Alexander. "However, they still need ways to
spend their leisure time and we're offering reasons to spend it here. Since we live in a major metropolitan area, we decided to include the four million metro Detroit residents in this marketing
effort."
