tourism

New York In A Snowmobiling State Of Mind

New York State is touting the other part of New York -- upstate -- with a tourism push comprising two TV spots under the aegis of the larger "I Love NY" tourism campaign. The winter-spring push promotes activities like snowboarding and tourist spots like the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with the 30-second ads. They add to larger print, television, radio and digital tourism advertisements. 

Said Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement: “With places like Tug Hill Plateau and the Baseball Hall of Fame, upstate communities offer something for everyone all year long. Tourism plays an integral role in the economy, and we will continue our work to make sure it thrives, creates jobs, and generates new economic opportunities for our state.”

The television ad featuring snowmobiling is currently running, and the Baseball Hall of Fame ad featuring the former N.Y. Yankees coach Joe Torre starts March 6. Both ads will run in major markets, in-state as well out of state, on early-morning shows and cable networks. Both show parents with kids, and in each, the child starts out uninterested in the activity and truculent. By the end of snowboarding or the Hall of Fame visit, they are ecstatic and garrulous. 

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Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Kenneth Adams said tourism is the state’s fifth-largest employer. “These commercials complement the great work the state has done in promoting tourism through its visible sponsorships and special events." 

Nearly nine million more visitors traveled to New York in 2013 than in 2012, an increase of 4.2%. And tourism will generate $7.7 billion in state and local taxes, with direct spending expected to have reached $61.3 billion, up 7% from 2012 and double the national average.

Cuomo officially launched the "I Love NY" campaign last May during the Tourism Summit in Albany, where he announced $60 million in tourism funding -- the highest level of tourism funding in decades. Also launched were Taste NY marketing efforts, an international tourism campaign, I Love NY in Times Square, and I Love NY LGBT.

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