VisitNH Increases Ad Spend by 25%, Doubles Down on 2021 Road Trips

The tourism industry took some major hits in 2020, with inter-state travel dramatically declining and many people opting to take their vacations closer to home. A top destination for New Englanders and beyond, New Hampshire experienced an estimated 15% drop in visits during their peak summer season. As the state’s second-largest industry, generating around $5.6 billion in annual revenue, the Visit New Hampshire (VisitNH) tourism department knew they needed to take a new approach to 2021 summer tourism and build back some much-needed momentum as COVID-19 restrictions began to lift.

With analysts calling 2021 the year of 'revenge travel' and studies from American Express and Booking.com finding that travellers are planning to take more vacations this year than ever before — VisitNH partnered with its agency of record, GYK Antler (GYKA), to chart a course for the largest and most wide-reaching marketing campaign of the duo’s six-year relationship. Going 'all in' on their 2021 integrated marketing efforts, the tourism board’s ad spend is increasing by 25% over the historical average summer spend, doubling down on new integrated efforts and content partnerships to reinforce that New Hampshire is 'open for business' and ready for travellers to discover the wide array of leisure and adventure activities offered by the state.

Knowing that 62% of people are planning road trips this summer instead of buying plane tickets (source: Airbnb study), GYKA and VisitNH concepted ways to make their existing 'Discover Your New' creative platform feel as relevant and alluring as possible to road trippers across the country.

For example, today marks the launch of a new custom content partnership with Iron & Air, a media company and magazine that explores the art, lifestyle and culture of motorcycles — and the places they take us. Based in New Hampshire, but with a global reach, Iron & Air co-created a short film called “Sea to Sky,” chronicling a one-day trip from the New Hampshire seacoast to the summit of Mount Washington, New England’s highest peak. Using the Mount Washington Auto Road, a classic bucket list ride, the entire trip is experienced in the saddle of a motorcycle and showcases the unique ability for travellers to experience the clean mountain air, the salt breeze off the sea and plenty of nature in between the oceans and the clouds — all within one day.

In July, VisitNH and GYKA partnered with Matador Network to create a short video content series around a family road tripping across New Hampshire in their Airstream. A unique landing page on the VisitNH website provides information and inspiration for road trips to New Hampshire, featuring a range of itineraries travellers can use to get around the state — from ways to artistically unwind during a creative tour of the Monadnock Region to discovering stunning natural attractions in the White Mountain National Forest, and more. 

VisitNH also partnered with Boston-based influencer Lauren Wells, who hosted a family trip to the Merrimack Valley and the Seacoast regions that included interactive engagement with her followers, asking them to vote on what activities they should do, what restaurants to try, etc.  

While New Hampshire’s core target audience remains New England and New York, this year, the state expanded its target radius approximately 600 miles to include Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Additionally, VisitNH is targeting their neighbors to the north in the Canadian market with a limited travel message focused on planning a future visit since the country borders are closed. 

The 'Discover Your New' summer campaign kicked off in May 2021 with streaming radio, social and display, and has grown to include regional TV spots and contextual OOH billboards in congested areas such as New York City’s Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel and SoHo neighborhood, as well as a terminal takeover in Boston’s Logan Airport. Digital tactics include CTV, Pandora sponsorship, behaviorally-targeted display (AdTheorent, Teads, Sojern, DynAdmic, YouTube, Gmail) and support via VisitNH social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest).