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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2007

A NEW CONCEPT TO MARKET SALEM COUNTY

(SALEM, NJ)--Freeholder Beth Timberman, Chair of the County Planning and Transportation Committee, today announced that the Board of Chosen Freeholders will hire Lee Tofanelli and Associates, Inc., to assist in the marketing of Salem County as a tourist destination.

“The purpose of the contract is to develop a comprehensive Tourism and Marketing Plan for Salem County, similar to the plans that were developed for Open Space and Farmland Preservation,” said Freeholder Timberman. “Lee Tofanelli and Associates, Inc. is the same company that has developed and implemented the tourism plan in Cumberland County, which has generated millions of dollars in revenue.”

According to the marketing strategy proposal from Lee Tofanelli and Associates, Inc. a successful marketing program can help Salem County achieve a number of benefits including additional jobs in sectors such as hotels, restaurants, retail establishments, and transportation. New jobs lead to the multiplier effect of direct and indirect tourism dollars which are recycled through the local economy, as well as tax dollars provided by out-of-county visitors.

“We are similar to the Chamber of Commerce in that we try to bring together all of the businesses and strive to promote them,” said Freeholder Timberman. “We compete for tourist business and being as tourism was a $37 billion dollar industry last year, we want our piece of the pie. Salem County With a good marketing plan, and a little bit of money, we will get tenfold out of it.” is ranked last in receiving tourism money, so we need to do more to get our fair share.

The firm will be working with the Improvement Authority, Freeholders, Municipalities, and Tourist Destinations in Salem County to ‘brand’ the County, plan the infrastructure improvements needed to support tourism, and outline a 3 year plan of action to put Salem County on the map as a tourism destination.

“We are hoping to have this plan developed by the end of this year, so that we have a clear map on how to market Salem County,” said Freeholder Timberman. “We want a unified approach to tourism.”

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