Garrett County a winner at state tourism summit

Marketing campaign nets honor

For the Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce won the 2009 Best Electronic Marketing Award from the Maryland Tourism Council at the 29th Annual Maryland Tourism and Travel Summit, formerly the Governor’s Tourism Industry Conference, held in Ocean City recently. Competing against nominees from other counties in the state, Garrett County collected the tourism industry award for the WTAE-TV advertising campaign at an awards banquet Nov. 5.

“The chamber is honored to have received this award recognizing our WTAE-TV advertising campaign,” said Joyce Bishoff, interim president of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “It is particularly gratifying to be recognized by our tourism industry peers at the Maryland Tourism Council.”

In 2008, the chamber provided its 700-plus business membership the opportunity to purchase cooperative television advertising with Pittsburgh television station WTAE. Footage was shot from 2008 – 2009 and the commercials ran on the station in May, June, September and October. Additional commercials will run again this December and January.

The award recognizes Maryland Tourism Council members with the most strategic and innovative electronic marketing initiative to attract visitors. Nominees included Web sites, e-mail marketing campaigns, online promotions and radio and television advertising. Winners are determined by a panel of judges composed of past recipients of the council’s Tourism Person of the Year award.

For more information about the council and the annual summit, visit mdtourism.org. For more information about the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, call (301) 387-4386 or log on to www.visitdeepcreek.com.