Southern Vermont has taken some major economic hits in recent years. The region suffered greatly from Tropical Storm Irene and it's now facing the blow that will come with the shutdown of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Regional planners say they need to attract businesses, as well as workers and visitors to Southern Vermont.
At this month's Vermont Travel Industry Conference planners unveiled a new regional marketing strategy to address those goals. The campaign is called Strengthening Southern Vermont and its tag line: So Vermont.
The effort is being funded through a post-Irene federal grant to the Windham and Bennington Regional Planning Commissions. The goal is to have a regional marketing effort for tourism and to grow the region's workforce. The concept behind the campaign is "Become a Vermonter."
Ads aimed at tourists encourage them to "Become a Vermonter for a weekend." Marketing targeting potential entrepreneurs and workers take it one one step further to "Become a Vermonter for a weekend. Become a Vermonter for life." The campaign also promotes a Visit Southern Vermont website.
The new website is currently in the design phase and should be online in June, according to organizer Laura Sibilia, of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. She said they are also in the midst of hiring a director to lead the two-county effort. The State of Vermont has pledged $75,000 toward the campaign, to be matched by local businesses. Once those pieces are in place, Sibilia said they hope to start the marketing campaign in the fall.
