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Tourism agency touts message that ‘American Spirit Lives Here’

3 min read
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A devoted marathoner, Diana Irey Vaughan put her best feet forward, strode to the microphone and answered a 6-year-old question.

“When Tourism and the Chamber merged, people asked why?” the longtime Washington County commissioner said. “It’s because we wanted to deliver tourism to the next level.”

With $700 million in direct visitor spending in 2017, a viable case could be made that the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency hit that next level – and perhaps the level after that – a year and a half ago. The agency went a little higher Thursday afternoon.

Kicking off the 2019 tourism season, the organization unveiled its new marketing campaign Thursday afternoon at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Southpointe. It is titled “The American Spirit Lives Here,” and encompasses the county’s rich history and its entertainment, recreational and retail venues, dating from the earliest signs of human habitation at Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village 19,000 years ago.

The agency, which joined forces with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce in 2013, presented a brief but breezy program organized by WCTPA marketing director Chase McClain. The presentation included word that 23 events have been scheduled throughout the county, the agency is ramping up its social and digital presence, and “American Spirit” ads were going live on about a half-dozen electronic billboards Thursday.

There also is a one-minute television commercial, which will be shown live in eight TV markets throughout the region. The video, featuring a 10-year-old girl, was shown to an audience of about 40 that included the young star.

That would be Temperance Scott, who was full of smiles and likely was the second-smallest person on hand – she’s a little bigger than brother Kellen, 6. Temperance is a fifth-grader in the Canon-McMillan schools, a North Strabane resident and daughter of Dana and Fred Scott, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper stationed at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino.

One of Temperance’s fondest wishes is to buy a gecko, her favorite creature.

A.J. Brach, of Savvy Fresh Group, filmed and edited the video. McClain directed and wrote the script for it.

Mike Melone, of Melone Advertising Group, designed the “American Spirit” logo.

Tourism’s impact was touted statistically during the presentation. In addition to the aforementioned visitor spending figure, the industry has created 5,875 jobs throughout the county.

“Truly, the American spirit lives here,” Commissioner Larry Maggi said Thursday. “It’s exciting new branding and exciting what we have here (in the county).”

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