CASE STUDY

New Jersey Office of Travel and Tourism
NJ Travel Guide

The New Jersey Travel Guide is the primary vehicle through which the New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism showcases the Garden State’s rich history, attractions and events to residents and visitors from around the world. With more than 60 million travelers visiting the Garden State annually, the New Jersey Travel Guide is the definitive source for what’s to see and do in New Jersey. Since tourism is the second-largest industry in the state, a high-impact launch event for the new edition of the New Jersey Travel Guide was essential to ensure this important economic engine was revved up for 2004.

Strategy
The event’s key objective was to leverage earned media to reach as many past and potential New Jersey tourists as possible so they would learn about, and ask to receive, the 2004 New Jersey Travel Guide. From the outset, it was clear the launch event had to capture imaginations of travel writers and reporters by bringing to life all the interesting things to see and do in New Jersey. Additionally, the event had to complement the travel guide’s dynamic new look and feel, as well as highlight three new exciting sections: "Great Estates," the "New Jersey Dining Guide," and "101 Fun Things To Do." Winning Strategies Public Relations (WSPR) and the New Jersey Commerce & Economic Growth Commission (NJCEGC) planned an event that did precisely that.

Tactics
In the short time frame of one month, WSPR worked with NJCEGC to plan and execute detailed logistics related to producing a successful media event. WSPR’s event planning and management included a full range of services, including distributing invitations, identifying and securing speakers, recruiting restaurants to cater the event, writing and editing press materials, and securing the attendance of targeted local, regional and national media.

In every facet, the launch event brought the travel guide to life. The event was held at one of New Jersey’s great estates – the governor’s mansion, Drumthwacket. The classical sounds of the Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra gently filled the mansion’s graceful halls, providing the perfect backdrop to the event. As guests wandered about, taking in the mansion’s masterful paintings and décor, they were treated to hors d’oeuvres and desserts served by some of New Jersey’s finest restaurants – some of which are featured in the 2004 New Jersey Travel Guide’s new “New Jersey Dining Guide” section. Among the fare was a variety of ethnic foods such as Thai beef strips, fruit-filled quesadillas with blueberry yogurt dipping sauce, and gourmet breads and cheeses. Some restaurants also provided samplings of specialty dishes featuring the official state fruit, the blueberry, including the Atlantic Blueberry Company which served its refreshing blueberry iced tea. Among the invited guests was a coterie of travel and tourism industry VIPs, travel guide advertisers, and members of the media. As an ancillary benefit, the launch event was also an opportunity for the New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism to network with industry leaders and acknowledge those who helped produce the 2004 New Jersey Travel Guide.

A press conference held at the beginning of the event provided a glimpse into the importance of New Jersey tourism and the new travel guide. Dr. William D. Watley, CEO and Secretary of New Jersey Commerce & Economic Growth Commission; Nancy Byrne, Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism; Victor Nichols, Publisher of the 2004 New Jersey Travel Guide; and Paul Dillon, CN8’s Celebrity Chef "Let’s Cook with Paul Dillon" each provided unique insights into the Garden State’s second largest industry.

Result
Altogether, media coverage of the launch event generated more than 10 million impressions, reaching past and potential New Jersey tourists across the United States. The follow up media coverage conducted by WSPR in regards to the travel guide itself resulted in a barrage of coverage that has reached 21,526,403 media impressions.

Print media highlights included an Associated Press wire story that resulted in media mentions in USA Today and the Detroit Free Press. In addition, The Star-Ledger, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Asbury Park Press, Courier-Post, The Times (Trenton), South Bergenite and NJ Biz spotlighted the travel guide. For broadcast coverage, News 12 New Jersey, NJN, WRTI-FM and WHYY-FM featured the 2004 New Jersey Travel Guide on their stations. Key travel and tourism industry representatives and business leaders attended the event as well as an impressive list of media including NJN, News 12 New Jersey, Gardener News, New Jersey Monthly, The Times and New Jersey Savvy Living. The media coverage was so extensive and positive, in fact, that the following day, requests for the new travel guide flooded the distribution center, and it temporarily ran out of copies.