North Country marketing program unveiled

Effort seen as creating sustainable funding for further tourism promotion

The North Country Chamber of Commerce has entered into a three-year partnership with TotalScope Marketing of Plymouth with the goal of facilitating a destination marketing program for its membership and the region.

The North Country Destination Marketing Program is being developed by TotalScope, which has worked with the chamber the past few years on various tourism research projects. The program will be a part of the chamber’s focus on marketing northern Coos County and bordering communities in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom as one destination with over 15 featured towns.

The program, designed to be self-funded, will be facilitated by TotalScope and managed by a chamber-based Destination Marketing Committee, with the goal of increasing visitation to the region for extended stays, according to the chamber.

The first phase of the plan includes a retail discount card, with sales revenues to target future tourism marketing.

TotalScope is the destination and tourism marketing division of LaClair, Guilbeault & Associates, which works with destination marketing organizations, chambers of commerce, hospitality businesses and recreation attractions.

According to Scott Stephens of TotalScope, the North Country program “is clearly driven to create sustainable funding which will then be invested wisely in further tourism marketing for the North Country. While this program will be adding value beyond the usual economic impact, we see tourism as economic development. When we can bring quality guests to a region, it inevitably gets many to think about living and doing business here. Developing the right branding and sending the right strategic message about vacationing in the North Country is the same as marketing the region as a great place to live and work." 

Partial funding for developing the plan was made possible by a Rural Business Development Grant through the Northern Community Investment Corp. from USDA Rural Development, the TransCanada Corporation, the Tillotson North Country Foundation and Indian Stream Health Center.