Women's Agricultural Network Blog

A new branding research study focusing on how Vermont is perceived as a vacation destination by visitors and non-visitors will be presented by state officials at community meetings across the state in August and September.

Vermont’s Chief Marketing Officer Christine Werneke, in conjunction with the Department of Tourism and Marketing and the Vermont Ski Areas Association, recently completed the research project to study perceptions about Vermont and how they affect decision making for
choosing a vacation destination.

The Vermont brand is well established and its message has been consistent from the beginning. In 1891, Vermont became the first state to promote itself. The Publicity Bureau, established in the Secretary of State’s office, used state funds to promote Vermont as an escape from the city.

Werneke said the study, performed by Resource Systems Group, Inc. of White River Junction, shows some areas for market growth, including converting summer-only and winter-only visitors into four-season visitors.

The study also notes the differences between the New York metro, Massachusetts, Canadian metro, and in-state markets in terms of what types of vacation experiences they seek, she said.