Summer downpours, a stubborn recession and Connecticut's seemingly bottomless deficit have made 2009 a year tourism aficionados would like to forget.But if past is prologue, 2010 is shaping up to be a year of similar challenges.

But if past is prologue, 2010 is shaping up to be a year of similar challenges. The recession, with its backlash on vacations and tourist travel, may well persist into the new year. The state's tourism district budgets have been slashed; the statewide marketing fund, down to $1, is unlikely to be restored anytime soon; and the weather remains as difficult as ever to rely on, let alone predict.

The recession, with its backlash on vacations and tourist travel, may well persist into the new year. The state's tourism district budgets have been slashed; the statewide marketing fund, down to $1, is unlikely to be restored anytime soon; and the weather remains as difficult as ever to rely on, let alone predict."For some years we have had to do more with less: it was three or four years ago when we saw the handwriting on the wall," said Peter Glankoff, senior vice president of marketing and public affairs for Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration. "The state tourism budgets have been under siege here since before the recession. We were already feeling the pressure, even in comparison to neighboring states."

"For some years we have had to do more with less: it was three or four years ago when we saw the handwriting on the wall," said Peter Glankoff, senior vice president of marketing and public affairs for Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration. "The state tourism budgets have been under siege here since before the recession. We were already feeling the pressure, even in comparison to neighboring states."In eastern Connecticut, a not-so-secret weapon is designed to bolster tourism next year: the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau.

In eastern Connecticut, a not-so-secret weapon is designed to bolster tourism next year: the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau.At a time when Connecticut as a whole has no money to market its beaches, bed-and-breakfasts, museums and New England-style getaways, the bureau, which has been made a standing committee of the Eastern Regional Tourism District, surfaced this summer like a phoenix - the reincarnation of the now defunct Mystic Coast & Country, without the overhead.

At a time when Connecticut as a whole has no money to market its beaches, bed-and-breakfasts, museums and New England-style getaways, the bureau, which has been made a standing committee of the Eastern Regional Tourism District, surfaced this summer like a phoenix - the reincarnation of the now defunct Mystic Coast & Country, without the overhead. "What we're looking to do here is bring together the best of Mystic Coast and Country, which more than anything was a place where all the players and participants in the industry could come and find common ground, and go to Hartford with a common voice," said Stephen Coan, bureau chairman.

"What we're looking to do here is bring together the best of Mystic Coast and Country, which more than anything was a place where all the players and participants in the industry could come and find common ground, and go to Hartford with a common voice," said Stephen Coan, bureau chairman.Coan is also president and chief executive officer of the Sea Research Foundation, which is the parent organization of the aquarium, the Institute for Exploration and Immersion Learning.

Coan is also president and chief executive officer of the Sea Research Foundation, which is the parent organization of the aquarium, the Institute for Exploration and Immersion Learning.'Good economic strategy'

'Good economic strategy'"We are steadfast in our message that funding for tourism is a good economic strategy for the state," Coan said, "but we also have to be sensitive to the fact that the state is making very painful choices. A big part of our strategy is to pool resources as much as possible and invest in an advertising strategy that promotes Mystic and, in turn, promotes the entire region."

"We are steadfast in our message that funding for tourism is a good economic strategy for the state," Coan said, "but we also have to be sensitive to the fact that the state is making very painful choices. A big part of our strategy is to pool resources as much as possible and invest in an advertising strategy that promotes Mystic and, in turn, promotes the entire region."Key players in the region with seats as permanent bureau members expect to contribute private funding which, in the past, under Mystic Coast and Country, totaled as much as $250,000, and was matched in kind by the district.

Key players in the region with seats as permanent bureau members expect to contribute private funding which, in the past, under Mystic Coast and Country, totaled as much as $250,000, and was matched in kind by the district. Today, those key players include Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, Old Mistick Village and the Waterford Hotel Group.

Today, those key players include Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, Old Mistick Village and the Waterford Hotel Group. The district's executive director, the state's tourism director and a member-at-large also belong to the group. The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut and the Greater Mystic chamber do not contribute funding, but will participate as ex-officio members.

The district's executive director, the state's tourism director and a member-at-large also belong to the group. The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut and the Greater Mystic chamber do not contribute funding, but will participate as ex-officio members. "I don't think there is another public/private partnership like this in Connecticut - the substance of it, the commitment, the brand equity that Mystic has," said George Galinsky, vice president of advertising and public relations for Mohegan Sun. "Everybody's at the table and there's less money to work with, but everybody is so much more focused."

"I don't think there is another public/private partnership like this in Connecticut - the substance of it, the commitment, the brand equity that Mystic has," said George Galinsky, vice president of advertising and public relations for Mohegan Sun. "Everybody's at the table and there's less money to work with, but everybody is so much more focused."The region's dilemma is to capitalize on the Mystic brand, which bespeaks quaint shops, historic landmarks and uncommon attractions like the aquarium and seaport, while marketing the whole region - from campgrounds and inns in the Quiet Corner to Westerly, New London and Waterford beaches to antiquing, restaurants, bed & breakfasts and hotels.

The region's dilemma is to capitalize on the Mystic brand, which bespeaks quaint shops, historic landmarks and uncommon attractions like the aquarium and seaport, while marketing the whole region - from campgrounds and inns in the Quiet Corner to Westerly, New London and Waterford beaches to antiquing, restaurants, bed & breakfasts and hotels.A powerful brand

A powerful brand"We want to speak with one voice about Mystic and the region," Coan said. "We know the power of the brand is the name, Mystic, but there are so many wonderful things about the region that need to be a part of that story, and that's what we want to capture in whatever we do."

"We want to speak with one voice about Mystic and the region," Coan said. "We know the power of the brand is the name, Mystic, but there are so many wonderful things about the region that need to be a part of that story, and that's what we want to capture in whatever we do."During the past three years, Mystic Coast and Country provided anywhere from $200,000 to $250,000 a year for destination marketing, which the district then matched, said Donna Simpson, former district executive director. John Markowicz, vice chairman of the district's board of directors, said he is hoping for a combined total of $400,000 or more next year.

During the past three years, Mystic Coast and Country provided anywhere from $200,000 to $250,000 a year for destination marketing, which the district then matched, said Donna Simpson, former district executive director. John Markowicz, vice chairman of the district's board of directors, said he is hoping for a combined total of $400,000 or more next year."With a budget that's less from the public sector than in years past, and with some additional resources from the private sector, we can at least attempt to reach the same level of destination marketing that we did a year ago, with more emphasis on the Web site as the medium," Markowicz said.

"With a budget that's less from the public sector than in years past, and with some additional resources from the private sector, we can at least attempt to reach the same level of destination marketing that we did a year ago, with more emphasis on the Web site as the medium," Markowicz said.The bureau will be taking a page from Exit 90 - a strategy more than a group of businesses, Coan said. Exit 90 has been centered around the seaport and aquarium with a consortium of area hotels, restaurants and shops jointly purchasing advertising.

The bureau will be taking a page from Exit 90 - a strategy more than a group of businesses, Coan said. Exit 90 has been centered around the seaport and aquarium with a consortium of area hotels, restaurants and shops jointly purchasing advertising.The "Sea Everything" Mystic pass cards stood out as a byproduct of this angle, as well as billboard and TV advertising, he said. Sold during the peak tourist season of April through October, the passes promote the seaport, aquarium and 30 other local businesses by offering free T-shirts, drinks, lodging, admission and restaurant discounts, plus free passes to the seaport and aquarium.

The "Sea Everything" Mystic pass cards stood out as a byproduct of this angle, as well as billboard and TV advertising, he said. Sold during the peak tourist season of April through October, the passes promote the seaport, aquarium and 30 other local businesses by offering free T-shirts, drinks, lodging, admission and restaurant discounts, plus free passes to the seaport and aquarium."The neat thing about it is, different players can buy in for different components or buy their own advertising as part of the package at a much reduced rate compared with what they'd be able to do on their own," he said.

"The neat thing about it is, different players can buy in for different components or buy their own advertising as part of the package at a much reduced rate compared with what they'd be able to do on their own," he said.Likewise, two Web sites compete for and confuse the consumer, said Markowicz, Galinsky and Ed Dombroskas, Simpson's replacement. Mystic.org is run by the seaport and aquarium, while the old Mystic Coast and Country Web site, MysticCountry.com, has been acquired by the district.

Likewise, two Web sites compete for and confuse the consumer, said Markowicz, Galinsky and Ed Dombroskas, Simpson's replacement. Mystic.org is run by the seaport and aquarium, while the old Mystic Coast and Country Web site, MysticCountry.com, has been acquired by the district. As the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau focuses on a "Mystic cluster" of towns from southwestern Rhode Island and south to the Clinton shoreline, the bureau plans to capitalize on the brand recognition of Mystic by reducing the two Web sites to one, these marketing experts said.

As the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau focuses on a "Mystic cluster" of towns from southwestern Rhode Island and south to the Clinton shoreline, the bureau plans to capitalize on the brand recognition of Mystic by reducing the two Web sites to one, these marketing experts said.Just how that will be accomplished remains to be seen, but it will be done by including the Quiet Corner and outlying shoreline towns to the north and south in aggressive marketing.

Just how that will be accomplished remains to be seen, but it will be done by including the Quiet Corner and outlying shoreline towns to the north and south in aggressive marketing."How do you build it and combine the assets and virtues of the respective sites into one thing?" asked Glankoff.

"How do you build it and combine the assets and virtues of the respective sites into one thing?" asked Glankoff. "Anything is doable in the world of Web development, so we're going to work toward that. We need to focus on being customer-centric. It's not about our politics. It's what visitors want, and that will drive our decision making. We're committed to collaboration."

"Anything is doable in the world of Web development, so we're going to work toward that. We need to focus on being customer-centric. It's not about our politics. It's what visitors want, and that will drive our decision making. We're committed to collaboration."p.daddona@theday.com

p.daddona@theday.com