Hartford — Niantic, the seaside village in East Lyme, emerged as the favorite Connecticut locale among Facebook voters who participated in the Connecticut Office of Tourism’s Fan-Favorite Town promotion.

Rounding out the top 10 were Mystic, New Haven, Putnam, Old Saybrook, Essex, Wethersfield, Hartford, New London and Wallingford.

Randy Fiveash, the state’s tourism director, announced results of the voting today during the annual Connecticut Conference on Tourism at the Connecticut Convention Center, where Gov. Dannel P. Malloy recognized East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica and David Labrie, owner of Niantic’s Inn at Harbor Hill Marina.

The inn was voted the favorite destination in Niantic.

“This is an honor for all the members of the Niantic community because we truly believe we’ve got that one thing that no one other place has – the people,” Formica said. “It’s a testament to the revolutionary spirit that is very much a part of this community.”

Grace, a Niantic lifestyle shop, created a You Tube video that helped mobilize participation in the promotion. The video features more than 34 businesses, destinations and attractions in Niantic, as well as numerous residents, business owners, Little Leaguers and others.

State tourism officials said the voting generated significant participation among Connecticut residents as well as residents of New York, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Nearly 10,000 votes were cast over a four-week period.

Niantic will be featured in a promotional video that will air on the state's tourism website, www.CTvisit.com, and social media sites.

To view the Niantic video produced by Grace, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM0tROLWfVY&feature=youtu.be