LONG ISLAND, NY — A Long Island tourism promoter is courting visitors from the Phoenix metro area — with plans to send millions of invitations asking them to discover why they should visit the region, officials said.
The invitations will be in the form of targeted social media, TV, and digital ads, as part of Discover Long Island’s first-ever West Coast marketing campaign that launched earlier this week just in time for National Plan for Vacation Day on Tuesday.
The tagline will be asking residents why they “BeLong” on Long Island.
The organization used “a data-driven approach” to enter the greater Phoenix market with a six-week campaign designed “to saturate the desert destination with stunning imagery” of the region’s “iconic beaches, areas like Fire Island, the Hamptons/Montauk, award-winning wine country on the North Fork, Gatsby-era mansions along the North Shore and major events like the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, officials said in a news release.
The Hauppauge-based organization says it plans on “capitalizing on a growing interest in domestic travel to new destinations as COVID-19-related restrictions continue to hinder international travel,” and is looking to anchor the island “as the ideal East Coast destination for Arizonans,” the release stated.
The campaign is an effort to further Long Island’s $6.3 billion visitor economy, which draws more than 10 million visitors from around the world annually.
Kristen Jarnagin Reynolds, president and chief executive officer of Discover Long Island, said that as a transplant to Long Island from Arizona, she knows “first-hand that Long Island is an ideal destination for Phoenix/Scottsdale residents looking for a coastal escape.’
“With 240-miles of coastline offering world-class beaches, our proximity to New York City, a wine region featuring stunning vineyards and award-winning varietals, Gatsby-era mansions and famed locations including Jones Beach Theater, Fire Island, the Nautical Mile, and much more, Long Island offers endless experiences and celebrates all four seasons,” she added.
The organization used geolocation data from mobile devices as well as studies on consumer spending habits to confirm there is strong interest in the region’s assets from Los Angeles and Greater Phoenix area residents, officials said.
“The continued influx of California residents moving to Arizona strengthens the opportunities to convert new travelers through marketing efforts,” the news release stated. “Additionally, the recent acquisition of Sanctuary Camelback Mountain by Long Island’s luxury brand, Gurney’s Resorts, solidified that the timing was right to invest in the market.”
“Gurney’s Resorts recognizes the evolution of Scottsdale as a world-class destination — with the luxury expectation of visitors and residents synonymous with that of the Hamptons — providing a strategic yet organic opportunity to bring our signature resort experience to an ideal audience,” officials said.
Michael Nenner, executive vice president at Gurney’s Resorts, said staffers there “are thrilled to work with Discover Long Island as they captivate Greater Phoenix residents with their new campaign and champion the connection between the two premier destinations.”
The marketing campaign runs until March 5 and will feature a diverse range of promotional assets, including geofencing of popular, high-profile events like The Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, The Phoenix Open, and The Devour Culinary Classic.
This article originally appeared on the Sachem Patch
