Client News
The Daytona Beach News-Journal: LETTERS: “We are so thankful for tourism marketing efforts such as these.”
Monday, February 06, 2017
Tourism marketing works
Not quite two years ago, my husband and I packed up our house in Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to Flagler Beach to open a restaurant. We didn’t know a single person when we first got here, but we joined the local Chamber Of Commerce and became involved with the Flagler County Tourism Development Office.
(READ: Senate budget chair signals support for Visit Florida)
Getting involved with our local tourist development council was one of the best things we ever did. When we opened VESSEL Sandwich Co. a little more than a year ago, they helped us gain exposure through catering jobs. Their marketing efforts brought Southern Living Magazine to town, and generated a mention of our restaurant in one of the magazine’s articles. That single article has brought us so much business from tourists and has made our first year in business a successful one.
We are so thankful for tourism marketing efforts such as these that exist at the state and local level. That kind of support makes the difference between profit and loss for small businesses like ours. As state and local leaders consider funding for tourism promotion, I hope they’ll see the tremendous impact it has had on our lives and the lives of our employees.
Haley Kirk, Flagler Beach
Kirk and her husband Ben own VESSEL Sandwich Co.