Boston Planning $2 Million Tourism Campaign To Help Businesses Recover
BOSTON (CBS) - Mayor Marty Walsh on Thursday announced that the city will begin working on a $2 million marketing campaign to promote the struggling tourism industry and draw visitors to Boston. The money is coming from federal coronavirus relief funds.
"As we think about the holidays and heading into early next year, how do we make sure that Boston - as long as we're safe - can be highlighted as a safe city to bring back the tourism industry," Walsh said. "What we want to do, ultimately, is help businesses recover."
The announcement comes at a time when Boston and the rest of Massachusetts prepare to enact more coronavirus restrictions on businesses as cases rise. Walsh said the tourism initiative is about looking toward the future.
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"This would not be the appropriate time to market the city, but we're going to be preparing for the inevitable - that we will be able to market the city," Walsh said.
The campaign will focus on attractions and events in the city that "speak to the experiences of people of color in Boston," and will highlight local minority-owned and run businesses, Walsh said in a statement.
"We know that the COVID pandemic has certainly been tough on our tourism industry here in Boston," Walsh said. "What we want to be able to do is come out of this quicker."
