Press Room >> 2010 Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ohio Tourism Unveils New Mobile Tour, Consumer Promotions
New Tourism Partners Join to Take Value-Driven Ohio Travel Deals Direct to Consumers

COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 28, 2010) – The Ohio Tourism Division today unveiled several new programs that offer travelers multiple ways to book Ohio vacation packages and take advantage of value-driven offers. The Too Much Fun for Just One Day! Mobile Tour with a branded vehicle and experiential booth is designed to take travel package offers directly to consumers. In addition, two new online promotions, @DiscoverOhio Twitter Flash Sales and myOhio contests, will make exclusive travel sales and opportunities to win free Ohio getaways available to consumers via social media tools.

The programs are an extension of the Division's current spring/summer marketing campaign and will target consumers in key feeder markets in neighboring states including Detroit, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis as well as Ohio residents.

"These programs are a new and innovative approach for the Ohio Tourism Division to reach potential travelers with unique offers for getaways, overnight stays and travel packages," said Ohio Tourism Director Amir Eylon. "With each program, we'll be able to interact with consumers, share travel recommendations and, in most cases give our Tourism Industry the opportunity to close sales," Eylon said. "All of these programs were made possible through the partnership of Ohio's Tourism Industry members and, most notably, our new non-traditional tourism partners including Ohio-based Honda, Speedway and Elmer's Products."

In seeking innovative and cost-effective ways to reach consumers, the Division has made a dedicated effort to reach out to companies like Honda, Speedway and Elmer's Products that have interests in reaching similar target audiences.

Too Much Fun For Just One Day Mobile Tour – The Ohio Tourism Division's branded vehicle, trailer and interactive booth will make 12 stops in Ohio and contiguous states at popular festivals, sporting events and shows during the next three months. Mobile tour non-traditional partners include Honda of America Manufacturing and Honda Marysville (Honda Element); Speedway (fuel) and Elmer's Products (children's craft area). In addition, 15 destination/attraction partners from around the state have joined in the effort to offer value-added experiences to the traveler. The tour begins in Cincinnati with the Flying Pig Marathon Expo and will wrap up in Huntington, W. Va. at the West Virginia Hot Dog Festival in July. A full list of mobile tour stops is available at DiscoverOhio.com.

Twitter Flash Sales – Consumers following the @DiscoverOhio Twitter handle will receive daily offers in May that include discounted overnight travel packages, Ohio zoo tickets, zipline adventures, Segway tours and more. Initial offers will be tweeted each morning and quantities are limited. Consumers may also search the #OHDeals hashtag to see what offers other users are tweeting about.

myOhio Contests – Each week in May, Ohio travelers can upload their favorite vacation photos and videos for a chance to win one of four Ohio travel packages valued at $500 or more. Capitalizing on the popularity of social media networking and consumer-generated content, myOhio allows travelers to share their Ohio travel photos and videos at DiscoverOhio.com/MyOhio

Each program will launch this May as part of Ohio Tourism Month – a statewide celebration of tourism held in conjunction with U.S. Travel Association's National Tourism Week (May 8 – 16). In addition, the programs were designed to coincide with the Tourism Division's peak marketing period for summer and fall getaways. For more information, check DiscoverOhio.com, follow us on Twitter @DiscoverOhio or become a fan of the Ohio Tourism Division on Facebook at www.facebook.com/discoverohio.

About the Ohio Tourism Division
The Ohio Tourism Division is the premier source of information for travelers and media about Ohio's vibrant tourism experiences, attractions, and economy. Division marketing programs contributed to an estimated $39 billion in total sales in 2008 and 452,000 jobs sustained by visitors to the state. A part of the Ohio Department of Development, the Division's mission is to promote and celebrate Ohio's unique travel opportunities and market the state's outstanding quality of life.

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CONTACTS: Tamara Brown, (614) 466-8591
Leslie Holbrook, (614) 383-1635