October 27, 2005
Contact: Sue Baker
738-2000
Department of Tourism, Culture and Development picks up three awards at national convention
WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian announced today that the city’s department of Tourism, Culture and Development received three awards at the recent Northeastern Economic Development Association’s (NEDA) 49 th annual conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
NEDA and its southern counterpart, SEDC (the Southern Economic Development Council, Inc.) each hold a yearly competition to judge marketing tools and promotional pieces from communities throughout their regions. Print ads, newsletters, annual reports, direct mail pieces, community profiles, computer and multi-media productions are among the categories that are judged.
Then, according to the agencies, “in the spirit of friendly competition, both associations selected their best entries from the seven categories they share in common to be judged.”
Warwick’s Community Profile, “Warwick, A Profitable Decision,” a full color, 12-page informational brochure earned one of these seven awards – the Best of 2005 Conference award in the Community Profile category.
The piece also includes a half-dozen inserts with municipal and area data and was developed as an “economic development kit” that is sent to any businesses inquiring about the city as a place to set up shop. The piece, paid for with a $15,000 grant from the state Economic Development Corporation grant and matching funds from the city, has been extremely popular.
The city’s promotional campaign – with the slogan “ Rhode Island’s Original WaterFire” – for the 2005 Gaspee Days celebration, developed in cooperation with the Gaspee Days Committee, received a NEDA merit award.
The city’s visitor’s guide, “Warwick, Rhode Island: at the center of it all,” is a colorful, four-fold brochure featuring a listing of accommodations, shopping sites, beautiful pictures of local events and places and a description of Warwick’s recreational, historical and tourist attractions. This piece earned a NEDA award of excellence.
Department Director Karen Jedson attended the conference, which was held from October 8 to 11, on the city’s behalf. For two days prior to that, she was in Washington, DC, as one of Governor Donald Carcieri’s appointments to the U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Summit.
The summit, in its 10 th year, according to its website, was created “ to formulate a comprehensive strategy to increase the U.S. share of the international tourism market and subsequently spur job creation, export growth and increased return on investment.” This year’s program included “ industry focused executive level presentations, best practices case studies, dynamic panels, dialogue among participants as well as networking opportunities.”