By CHRIS GREEN
Harris News Service
TOPEKA -- State and local officials hope to bolster tourism in Kansas this summer by drawing in budget-conscience visitors stung by rising gas prices.
The state's tourism division has launched new 30-second television commercials aimed at those who live within a day's drive of Kansas attractions.
The fast-moving spots began last month and will run through June, airing more than 9,000 times in eight Midwestern media markets, as well as across the state of Kansas.
Most tourists who do visit Kansas reach the state by driving, said Department of Commerce spokesman Joe Monaco, whose agency oversees the travel and tourism division.
He said the campaign seeks to help the state join a nationwide trend of tourists taking shorter trips because of higher gas prices.
The ads, which can be viewed online at www.travelks.com, will be broadcast in locales that include Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Oklahoma City; and Tulsa, Okla.
One version of the commercial, "Vacation Imagination," prominently features eastern Kansas sites of interest. Another spot showcases attractions west of Topeka, including venues in Hutchinson and Salina.
Hutchinson's Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center and the Kansas Underground Salt Museum are featured in the "western" version of the ads. The Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure and Smoky Hill Vineyards and Winery near Salina also are promoted in the commercial.
The ads, which combine photography and animation, cost the state $669,000 to produce and place, Monaco said. Each of the eight communities featured kicked in $20,000 each to help purchase air time through their convention and visitors bureaus, Monaco said.
The state's share comes from economic development funds generated by the sale of lottery tickets within the state, he said.
Sylvia Rice, director of Visit Salina at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerece, said the effort tapped into the fact that people would be looking closer to home because of higher gas prices.
"Based on our location, we think that could help," Rice said.
Kathy Tolbert, director of the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure, said it's important for Kansas to remind potential visitors about Rolling Hills and some of the other key attractions throughout the state.
"That's a good thing for all of us," Tolbert said.
LeAnn Cox, director of the Greater Hutchinson Convention/Visitors Bureau, said her organization used a surplus from last year's budget cycle to help pay its portion for running the commercials.
Cox said the state's effort presented an opportunity for communities to pool their resources to purchase expensive TV advertising.
Most midsized communities like hers can't afford to purchase TV spots by themselves, Cox said, and the commercials could help raise the profile of Hutchinson's attractions both inside and outside the state.
Hey, look at Kansas
The state Travel and Tourism Division and an Overland Park-based advertising agency have created two versions of a new commercial promoting the state's tourist attractions. A version highlighting offerings in Hutchinson and Salina can be found at: http://www.travelks.com/s/index.cfm?aid148.
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