If local tourism boosters have their way, the words "Northern Virginia" will evoke spectacular golf courses, fascinating historical sites and outstanding shopping to millions of potential visitors up and down the East Coast.
Economic Development groups from around the region have started spending almost $1 million in federal funds on advertising to spruce up Northern Virginia's image in the hopes of injecting a shot in the arm to the local tourism industry, on the ropes since Sept. 11, 2001.
To do so, they've launched a campaign called "The Pursuit of Happiness" which will focus on ads in major newspapers in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore as well as in travel publications. The ads, designed in the art deco style of the 1920s, will try to seduce potential tourists with the area's golf, historical and shopping offerings.
"THE OBVIOUS industry to help was the tourism industry because people were staying away from Washington in droves at that point," said Gerald Gordon, president of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
The money was appropriated by Congress in late fall of 2001 but area economic development officials have only started to spend it now. With events such as the anthrax scare, the sniper shootings and last winter's snowfall dominating the national news, local boosters felt it was wisest to hold onto the money until a better time, said Cate Wyatt, a market researcher with Remington International, which is working on the tourism project.
"The planning went into creating the brand that captures Northern Virginia or the greater Washington D.C. area and the appropriate time to launch it is now," she said.