This is a big year for Rhode Island tourism, starting with the impending release of the first major statewide campaign since 2017.
Rhode Island tourism leaders appear to have learned from the notorious 2016 “Cooler & Warmer” debacle, including the need to widely vet the concept before rollout.
The 2017 campaign was not even announced publicly by R.I. Commerce Corp. until the following January due to the widespread panning of its predecessor. The “Fun-Sized” promotion was successful enough for Commerce to keep it going for several years.
Commerce Chief Marketing Officer Anika Kimble-Huntley says the agency is close to deciding on a new campaign, having already collected feedback from surveys and the regional tourism leaders.
Tourism naturally suffered during the height of the pandemic but began bouncing back in 2021. But the goal for a multibillion-dollar industry that accounts for 14% of the state’s private sector workforce is not just to get back to pre-pandemic levels or eek out annual growth.
Ms. Kimble-Huntley told PBN in 2021 it was time for the state to start “thinking big” when it comes to tourism. We agree.
In this week’s cover story, she says there will be more focus on cultural heritage tourism. That includes the state’s rich Colonial history and varied ethnic groups.
And more emphasis on selling entertainment experiences to targeted audiences.
With a recession looming and so many jobs at stake, what better time to start thinking big and differently about Ocean State tourism?
