NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2010
Contact: Jeff Morton
Director of Communications
(802) 229-2273
jmorton@vtchamber.com
Vermont Chamber’s Tourism Network to Host Professional Tour Operators from Across the Country
Familiarization Tour Aims to Draw Visitors to the Green Mountain State
The Vermont Chamber’s Tourism Network (VTN) and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) will host 20 professional group tour operators from around the country Thursday, May 6 through Tuesday, May 11. The group will visit several area attractions including the Church Street Marketplace and Burlington Town Center, Shelburne Museum, Dakin Farm, the New England Maple Museum, the Vermont Marble Museum, Billings Farm, Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Jay Peak Resort, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Ben & Jerry’s Factory, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Rock of Ages Granite Quarry, to name a few.
The goal of this five-day fam tour is to entice tour operators to include Vermont in their packaged group tour offerings and further build the Vermont brand with interested visitors.
“This familiarization tour provides a unique opportunity for group tour operators around the country to experience Vermont first hand,” said Ellen Dube, Managing Director of the Vermont Chamber’s Tourism Network. “This event also allows us to showcase many of our members around the state who could potentially be featured in future itineraries with these visiting tour operators.”
Group tour travel to Vermont remains an important piece of the tourism economy which continues to generate revenue for the state.
“Vermont’s wide array of attractions and experiences make us an ideal destination for group tour operators and the money that those visitors spend in our shops, restaurants, and hotels have a positive impact on the economy,” said Dube. “One motor coach of 40 passengers spending one night at a destination generates as much as $11,660 for the local economy in meals, lodging, and other spending, according to the American Bus Association.”
VTN’s primary purpose is to promote packaged group tour travel to the Green Mountain State, mainly through motor coach tours to its member businesses. VTN represents select Vermont members including lodging and resorts, attractions, outdoor adventure, spas, farms and gardens, entertainment, fairs, festivals, special events, shopping, and restaurants.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the largest state-wide private, not-for-profit business organization represents nearly every sector of the state’s corporate/hospitality community. Our mission is to create an economic climate conducive to business growth and the preservation of the Vermont quality of life.
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Jeff Morton
Director of Communications
Vermont Chamber of Commerce
(802) 229-2273
www.vtchamber.com
