POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry, will spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with this year’s theme: the Spirit of Travel.
Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S. The 37th NTTW (May 3-9) arrives at an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its indomitable spirit, and elevate the role it will play in the economic recovery of Dutchess County and other destinations all across America.
“We are heartened, but not surprised, by the way our tourism industry has come together to support each other and those in our community during this crisis,” said Dutchess Tourism Inc. President & CEO Mary Kay Vrba. “To all the tourism-related businesses and the hospitality workers whose kindness and professionalism make our destination an incredible place to visit, live, work and play, we salute you!” She added, “We know times are tough right now – especially for our industry - and people need help. Dutchess Tourism has been keeping our destination top-of-mind by sharing attractions’ virtual offerings, creating special promotions, fighting for federal relief, and being a trusted resource now and through each phase of the recovery process.”
In past years, Dutchess Tourism has marked the occasion with an annual Brochure Exchange Tailgate and Tourism Awards of Distinction Breakfast where they announce winners in eight categories from a total of 24 finalists. Since large, in-person rallies and events have been banned across New York State through at least May 15th, this event has tentatively been rescheduled for June 16, 2020. Winners will be announced at that time even if a gathering is not permitted.
Instead, the non-profit has other plans to celebrate NTTW including: participating in the industry’s first Twitter #VirtualRoadTrip across the U.S.; daily Facebook videos from local tourism partners sharing what the Spirit of Travel means to them; and a spotlight highlighting the many ways local tourism businesses continue to make a difference in our community even when they aren’t able to welcome visitors. They’re also launching a new promotion called “Dutchess Daydreamin’ Deals” with over 30 deals to buy now and enjoy later to help drive sales to these businesses right now when they need it most.
With a nod to Dutchess Tourism’s new inspirational “We Will Fly Again” video, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “The tourism industry is a multi-faceted, vibrant endeavor, one that adds so much to our community; and the dedicated hospitality professionals who welcome countless visitors from around the world are resilient. The spirit of travel will return, and Dutchess County will again assume its role as a statewide tourism leader. During National Travel and Tourism Week, we celebrate the unique attractions and charm that make our county distinct and give guests unparalleled opportunities to write their own Dutchess County story. Today we’re reminded #WeWillFlyAgain in Dutchess County.”
Molinaro signed a proclamation declaring May 3-9, 2020 National Travel & Tourism Week in Dutchess County and urged residents to join him in recognizing the critical role this industry plays throughout the county. The towns of Clinton, Dover, East Fishkill, Pine Plains and Rhinebeck have also adopted similar proclamations with additional municipalities set to join them. All will be added to the dedicated NTTW landing page on Dutchess Tourism’s website along with a copy of the proclamation from the county executive.
Additional support for the travel industry and the more than 11,000 people whose livelihoods depend on tourism will be on display Tuesday, May 5 for National Travel Rally Day when the Mid-Hudson Bridge and Dutchess County Office Building will be lit red in their honor.
To learn more about Dutchess Tourism’s NTTW plans, visit www.DutchessTourism.com/nttw and visit ustravel.org/NTTW to learn more about the week.
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About Dutchess Tourism
Dutchess Tourism, Inc. is the officially designated destination marketing organization for Dutchess County and is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International. It is an independent 501c6 non-profit organization that works to bring tourism dollars to area businesses by marketing and promoting the assets of Dutchess County to the nation and the world. The office is located at 3 Neptune Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie with 17 Tourist Information Centers located around Dutchess County. The website is www.DutchessTourism.com and they can be reached at 845-463-4000. Dutchess Tourism, Inc. is partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.
