Delaware county rebrands itself to increase tourism

A marketing campaign to give a Delaware county a more distinct identity seems to be working.

The News Journal reports that since the “Quaint Villages” branding effort began last year, Kent County has seen a $4.5 million windfall in tourism spending since Jan. 1. Tourism officials say the county is well on its way to reaching its $12.4 million goal by the end of June 2018.

The marketing campaign was started after visitor spending in Kent County saw a slight decline in 2015 while the state as a whole had an increase of more than 4 percent.

The campaign focuses on Kent County offering an unusual collection of towns that have a wide selection of food, festivals and events, including the Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover Downs and the Monster Mile.