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BOSTON
- Thursday, November 5, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today
that the City of Boston, as a part of a thorough Request for Proposals
(RFP) review process, has selected a partnership between Colette
Phillips Communications, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau,
and Proverb to create a campaign that will position Boston as a safe,
welcoming and vibrant travel destination. The goal of the campaign is to
increase awareness and active promotion, and drive trips to Boston from
diverse local and regional visitors, while supporting the public health
guidance that's in place. The team has been charged with highlighting
attractions and events that speak to the experiences of people of color in
Boston, and the campaign will highlight local minority-owned and run
businesses and organizations.
"This
tourism campaign will warmly welcome diverse local and regional visitors to
explore our city's rich history, vibrant neighborhoods, and legacy of arts,
culture, and education, while adhering to public health guidelines,"
said Mayor Walsh. "COVID-19 has been incredibly hard on Boston's
tourism industry, and we look forward to working with a local marketing
firm as we help our small businesses recover, and showcase all the diverse
cultures our city has to offer."
As the City of Boston plans to recover stronger and more equitably from the
COVID-19 pandemic, the Arts, Culture, and Tourism industry is a critical
component to the future success. The selected vendor is tasked with
assembling a local tourism campaign to draw diverse tourists to take
advantage of all that Boston has to offer, as the City safely responds to
the impact of COVID-19 and supports its hardest hit industries.
Together, Colette Phillips Communications,
Inc. (CPC), Boston's oldest minority owned and operated marketing
communications firm; Proverb, a Boston-based, minority owned, award-winning
creative branding, design, and advertising agency made up of 25 talented,
diverse, and strategic creatives; and the Greater Boston Convention &
Visitors Bureau (GBCVB), the city's primary marketing and visitor services
organization, will work to create a new and effective public-private model
for inclusive collaboration and economic opportunity.
"Boston
is culturally rich, historically significant, fun and innovative,"
said Chief of Economic Development John Barros. "We are excited to
work with a Black and woman owned business as the primary vendor of an
exciting team, to showcase Boston as a welcoming city that truly has
something for everyone."
While
contributing 4.83 percent to the Gross City Product, prior to the pandemic,
the categories of Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; Accommodation and
Food Services made up 10.4 percent of the City's jobs. The Arts,
Culture, and Tourism sectors provide approximately three times the jobs in
Boston compared to the nation overall, and create more jobs than either
educational institutions or medical institutions. Prior to the coronavirus
pandemic, in 2019, Greater Boston hosted over 19.9 million domestic and 2.9
million international visitors per year.
Travelers
adhering to the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts Travel Order, effective August 1, 2020, are welcome to
visit Boston and responsibly enjoy its many tourist attractions. All
visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not
meet an exemption, are required to: Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form
prior to arrival, unless they are visiting from a lower-risk state
designated by the Department of Public Health; and quarantine for 14 days
or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to
72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.
"Boston
has so much to offer as a tourist destination, from our diverse restaurant
scene to our vibrant cultural attractions and museums," said Kate
Davis, Director of the Mayor's Office of Tourism, Sports, and
Entertainment. "With this campaign, we welcome regional and local
travelers to explore all that Boston has to offer, and invite Bostonians to
explore their own backyard in a new way too."
Travelers
to the City of Boston are encouraged to review the latest public health
guidance on boston.gov/covid-19. Travelers may
also prepare for their visit by learning about the City of Boston's
reopening efforts and public health guidelines for businesses at boston.gov/reopening.
This
project will be funded by CARES Act Relief Funding. In accordance with the
regulations, the project must provide resources or assistance to mitigate
effects on health and/or provide economic support.
This announcement is part of the Walsh Administration's ongoing work to
support small businesses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 2,
Mayor Walsh, announced
the expansion of the Reopen Boston Fund to ensure restaurants in Boston
are able to purchase necessary equipment for outdoor dining this fall and
winter. On September 15, Mayor Walsh announced the City of Boston is extending
the outdoor dining season to better serve restaurants and patrons. On
May 21, the City of Boston announced
new measures to help restaurants during the ongoing public health
crisis, including expanding outdoor seating, and waiving fees for outdoor
space.
To date, nearly $6.7 million in debt-free grants have been distributed to
over 1,850 small businesses in every neighborhood across the City of Boston
through the Office of Economic Development's Small
Business Relief Fund. The businesses receiving grants represent
industries most impacted by closures, policies, or general loss of revenues
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reopen
Boston Fund, launched in May 2020, continues to offer grants to Boston's
businesses of up to $2,000 to assist with reopening costs, including for
PPE. The Reopen
Boston Fund has issued more than $2.65 million in grants to 1,471
businesses and is still accepting applications at boston.gov/reopen-fund.
To
further assist the City's small businesses, the City of Boston created
a platform to help businesses source the personal protective
equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies they will be required to have
available in order to ensure the safety of employees and customers as
industries begin to reopen. Along with industry-specific reopening
requirements, the page includes a list of self-identified, local suppliers
of PPE and cleaning supplies, information on the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts' vendor database, and partner organizations helping to
connect businesses with vendors.
In
addition, in October, Mayor Walsh announced a collaboration
with SimpliSafe, maker of award-winning home security systems, to
donate 250 security systems and 12 months of free professional monitoring
to Boston's small business community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July, Mayor Walsh announced a new
ramp initiative to increase accessibility to outdoor dining amidst the
COVID-19 public health emergency. Restaurants that have been granted a
temporary license to have seating in a parking space or on the street are
eligible to request a portable ramp. |
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