GWTIDA announces new initiatives

Authority hoping for an IMG Beach Bash

Merci, Canadians, says GWTIDA
By MAUREEN L. CAWLEY
Staff Writer
WILDWOOD -- Merci and Bienvenue. Thank you for visiting The Wildwoods, and please come back. That’s the message the Greater Wildwoods Tourism and Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) sent to Canadian visitors this week.
They placed full-color French-language advertisements in two of Canada’s largest newspapers to say “merci” to America’s northern neighbors for visiting the Wildwoods in record-breaking numbers this summer.
“And we’re hoping they come back,” said GWTIDA’s marketing director, Ben Rose.
For years Wildwood was a tradition among the Quebecois, who were lured south by the miles of free beaches and family entertainment.
Then for several years the numbers were down, Rose said.
But this past summer anecdotal evidence collected from the Wildwoods Hotel Motel Association and the Cape May County Campground Owners Association showed sharp increases in Canadian tourists.
“We wanted them to know how much we appreciate them coming back,” Rose said.
The “thank you” advertisement lists an 800 number and an Internet address where visitors can begin to plan next summer’s vacation. Feedback from the ads will allow GWTIDA to track visitors. They will monitor how many requests for information packets are requested as the result of the Canadian marketing campaign.
Marketing efforts in Canada by GWTIDA and the county tourism department seem to be working, and the favorable exchange rate doesn’t hurt either, Rose said.
Throughout the winter, GWTIDA will be working on a number of other initiatives aimed at attracting old and new visitors to town next summer. These include marketing and advertising, as well as planning tourism events.
Plans are in the works to install signs on the overpass at Route 47, near Garden State Parkway exits 4a and 4b to greet and thank visitors as they travel to and from The Wildwoods. Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew has expressed support for the idea, and he has promised to help GWTIDA navigate the New Jersey Department of Transportation approval process, according to the minutes from a GWTIDA meeting in October.
Rose has already submitted a list of proposed slogans for the sign to the GWTIDA board for consideration. A decision is expected to made soon. GWTIDA is hoping to have the signs installed by this summer, Rose said.
“I have to tell you I am very excited for next year,” board member Ralph Johnson told the GWTIDA board at its monthly meeting last Thursday. Johnson was on the committee that determined which tourism events in The Wildwoods would receive funding in 2006.
He said that allocating GWTIDA’s $550,000 events budget required some tough decision-making.
“We never seem to have enough money to fund everything we want to fund,” he said, “but we did what we think is right.”
A list of 25 approved tourism events were presented to the board. The events that will receive funding include newcomers like the second annual Maui’s Salty Potato Ball Eating Contest on June 16 and the Wildwood’s Block Party on Aug. 27. $20,000 was approved to support the island’s first ’60s weekend on April 28-30. Tentative plans for that weekend feature appearances by performers like Herman’s Hermits, The Playboys and Davy Jones of the Monkees.
The 12th annual North Wildwood Italian-American Reunion, scheduled for the weekend of June 23, received $15,000 in funding. As was reported in The Wildwood Leader last month, The Sons of Italy are planning on sponsoring another Italian festival on the same date, but they have not received GWTIDA funding.
Long-time summer traditions like the Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza, the Captain Kidd Weekend, and the National Marbles Tournament will also be funded. The reincarnated Wildwoods Baby Parade will take place again this year on July 20 and is receiving $2,500 in funding.
The 13th annual Classic Car Show is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 21, and is receiving $7,500 in funding, in spite of concerns voiced by Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano over the rowdy behavior of visitors during this years event.
GWTIDA has set aside nearly a 20 percent - $150,000 - of its events funding budget in hopes of securing the East Coast IMG Beach Bash. The sports marketing firm IMG sponsors a beach bash festival in California every year, featuring extreme sports competitions and concerts. The event brings up to 400,000 visitors to Huntington Beach, Rose said.
“They did a satellite search and determined Wildwood (with its huge beaches) was an ideal location for an East Coast event,” Rose said.
A surfing competition is part of the California event, but in New Jersey it would be replaced by a skim boarding competition. Other extreme sports events would include a BMX bike race, skateboarding and beach volleyball. The tentative date for the event is the weekend of July 7-9.
The fee charged to host the event is $150,000, and GWTDA is holding that amount in reserve while IMG lobbies for corporate sponsorship. They are looking for one big title sponsor to pay $400,000 or four smaller co-sponsors who may want to split the cost.
Rose said representatives met with WCAU/NBC Channel 10 and KYW/CBS Channel 3, and both broadcasters had expressed interest in televising the event if it happens.
Organizers expect the first East Coast event could bring more than 100,000 visitors and contestants to The Wildwoods over that weekend.
“It’s all contingent upon IMG getting a title sponsor,” Rose said. “If they don’t get one this year, we’ll continue to work on it for next year.

Maureen L. Cawley can be e-mailed at maureen.cawley@catamaranmedia.com or you can comment on this story by calling 624-8900, ext. 250.