The city of Santa Clarita launched a $200,000 advertising campaign aimed at tourists in Phoenix and San Diego. The multimedia campaign is being funded by the Santa Clarita Tourism Marketing District. Launched in February, the ads will appear on prime-time television, radio, and billboards in Phoenix and San Diego, and will run through April. In addition, the city is promoting itself in AAA’s Westways and VIA magazines throughout 2012. The city identified Phoenix and San Diego as target markets for the campaign because of their growth potential, and because residents from those cities have traveled to Santa Clarita before. “The new tourism campaign is exciting and fun and puts Santa Clarita front and center in two respected destinations,” Mayor Laurie Ender said in a prepared statement. “We know residents in the Phoenix and San Diego area are already visiting and we hope the new campaign reinforces our position as a fun, convenient and affordable Southern California getaway.” The campaign is a collaborative between the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Tourism Marketing District and showcases the area’s appeal as an affordable and memorable family destination through promotion of the area’s theme parks, shopping, spa and dining, and golf. The new tourism marketing campaign is being tracked and evaluated by the partners to determine its effectiveness and whether a similar campaign in these markets or other target markets will be developed in the future. The Santa Clarita Tourism Marketing District funds come from a 2 percent assessment collected for each room night sold at participating Santa Clarita Tourism Marketing District hotels. Judy Temes
