Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau Unveils New Destination Video featuring Ben Rector's "Brand New" and Launches International Marketing Efforts with Brand USA

According to John Mayner, vice president of marketing and  communications for the LRCVB, the bureau was looking for a song that would highlight all of the city's new development and attractions, and felt that Rector's song was a great fit both lyrically and musically. Rector's song provides a fun and upbeat tempo creating the perfect background to visually display Little Rock's progressive growth. Uniquely, Rector has Arkansas ties as graduate of the University of Arkansas and is the youngest person to ever win the Grand Prize in the Pop category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. 

Three years ago Little Rock commemorated the tenth anniversary of the opening of Clinton Presidential Center, and a study was commissioned that identified over $2.5 billion in new and redevelopment projects had taken place in the downtown areas since the center had opened. LRCVB President and CEO Gretchen Hall said, "Little Rock's ongoing revitalization of the Main Street Creative Corridor, South Main (SoMa) historic district, and several new projects occurring in the East Village are truly transforming our downtown.  When combined with the myriad of new attractions, restaurants, and tourism amenities spread throughout the destination, we hope this new video helps us shine a light on our transformation and growth." 

New International Marketing Efforts via Brand USA:

"Likewise, due to the city's ongoing revitalization, we also felt that timing was right to highlight all the things our destination has to offer international travelers as well," said Mayner.  "We know that international travelers stay longer and spend more, and although they currently make up a small percentage of our total visitors, we know that they are already coming to enjoy our beautiful city and its attractions.  By partnering with Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, we can provide these travelers with content about our city in their native language which greatly increases awareness and additional interest for our destination," continued Mayner. 

Over the past year, the LRCVB has been working with Brand USA to develop new content for international travelers. This content includes:

• A new Little Rock city page on the VisitTheUSA.com's "Destinations" portal;
• Inclusion in numerous trip itineraries, including a Civil Rights trip itinerary featuring Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and the Arkansas Civil Rights History Tour app, developed in conjunction with Travel South USA, the official regional destination marketing organization for the southern United States, that features several prominent Civil Rights sites in the South on the VisitTheUSA.com's "Trips" portal;
• A new "Native Traveler" video package and webpage located on VisitTheUSA.com's "Experiences" portal.

Additionally, all of the above content will be translated into Brand USA's 14 languages for international travelers to access.

About Brand USA:

Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, was established by the Travel Promotion Act as the nation's first public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. travel policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. The organization's mission is to increase international visitation to the USA in order to fuel the U.S. economy and enhance the image of the United States worldwide. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. According to studies by Oxford Economics, over the past four years Brand USA's marketing initiatives have helped welcome 4.3 million incremental visitors to the USA, benefiting the U.S. economy with nearly $30 billion in total economic impact, and has supported, on average, 50,900 incremental jobs a year.

For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit TheBrandUSA.com. For information about exceptional and unexpected travel experiences in the United States, please visit Brand USA's consumer website VisitTheUSA.com.

About Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB):

The LRCVB is the official destination marketing organization for the City of Little Rock, charged with marketing and selling the city as a meeting, sports and leisure travel destination. It also operates the Robinson Center, Statehouse Convention Center, River Market and multiple parking facilities. LRCVB is governed by the Little Rock Advertising & Promotion Commission (A&P Commission).

SOURCE Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau

Related Links

http://www.LittleRock.com