Park City’s message to more than a million could-be tourists is “What every mountain expedition needs: a really comfortable base camp.”
This Sunday, newspapers in the Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Denver markets will contain a 20-page Utah special section with information on tourist destinations and businesses in the state.
“The Park City Chamber/Bureau purchased a half-page ad and it’s describing all the activities that are going on in Park City with images supporting it,” said Mary McPheters, the tourism marketing manager with the Chamber/Bureau.
McPheters said other Park City businesses bought space independently to make a total of two pages in the Madden Pre-Print insert.
“We are hoping to gain awareness of Utah and Park City,” McPheters said. “There are over a million insertions in some of our key markets. It helps build awareness for Park City and drive those visitors here.”
Last December, the Utah Office of Tourism provided $250,000 through the Cooperative Marketing Program to reimburse businesses for half the cost of placing an ad in the Madden insert.
“I’ve been here for four years and I haven’t seen something this large by the Utah Office of Tourism for all these communities,” McPheters said.
McPheters said the Chamber/Bureau has seen a large increase in visitors through statewide cooperative advertising programs, especially from California.
“California is one of our strongest markets and that’s where a majority of this is hitting,” McPheters said. “The Utah Office of Tourism is doing a great job putting these co-ops together to make one big splash.”
Sunday’s insert is a summer marketing piece, McPheters said, and the Park City emphasis attempts to balance the southern part of the state with the mountain recreation in the north.
“We were concerned of the focus on the south,” McPheters said. “We were trying to show the diversity of the dining and Main Street and the outdoor concerts and the wonderful lodging.
“Most of the ads are summer focused,” McPheters added. “There is a good mix of red rocks in the south as well as green mountains and rivers that we love up here in Park City. It’s a good mix.”
Images of Park City represent the mountain town were people can stay comfortably and also get out to hike or mountain bike.
“We are trying to show that we are a cute little town in Park City in contrast with the red rocks,” McPheters said.
Aside from the Madden Pre-Print inserts, the Chamber/Bureau is involved with other campaigns across the country.
“We have print campaigns going on in several national publications,” McPheters said. “We also have vacation planners. Over the last month we have dropped over 40,000 planners to consumers and travel agents across the country. Our public relations effort is ongoing.”
A billboard near Evanston, Wyo. that featured a winter message for Park City will now be changed to feature a summer message.
“Our summer product is definitely growing,” McPheters said. “People are figuring out it’s a great place to take a vacation in the summer as much as it is in the winter time.”