Marketing the Valley works, says Chamber of Commerce
The Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce intends to get busy marketing the Valley again this year.
The 2014 campaign was effective, Wolfville innkeeper Heather Leeman told Kentville council. Overnight sales went up for the first time in five years, she said.
In July, figures increased six per cent. In September, there was another bump.
“We took a huge jump with numbers up 10 per cent. The best performing numbers in over 10 years,” Leeman said.
The statistics increased for October and November.
“In dollar values, the increased visitation provincially added $11 million in revenue,” she said. “To say that we are thrilled is an understatement.”
Last year, the chamber’s tourism committee made presentations from West Hants to Digby to solicit funding. The three-person committee was in Kentville on Feb. 23 hoping for some cash and con- tinued use of space at the bus station for a Visitor Information Centre (VIC).
AVCC executive director Judy Rafuse told council that VIC numbers were significantly higher last year. The total number of visitors to stop into the centre was 2,507, compared to 1,620 the year before.
The chamber has requested $8,000 from Kentville toward its marketing plan.
“This funding will help us to develop a new regional map, an interactive smart phone app, as well as continue our multi-media campaign to the Maritimes,” Leeman said.
Leeman explained that a television campaign was launched last June with three different commercials. AVCC credits this marketing with the reason for some of the increased visits.
The chamber of commerce also partnered with the Nova Scotia Tourism Agency and Kings County. The County of Kings and Annapolis Royal also contributed funding.