When Cities Ask You to Go Somewhere Else
Ithaca, NY travel site asks visitors to head to Florida instead.
When is it time for a city to tell potential visitors not to come? Apparently when the temperature continually dips below 10 and the snow seems relentless. That's been the basic weather conditions in the city of Ithaca, New York. And the folks behind the website visitithaca.com are calling it quits, at least temporarily. Here's what appeared on their site today…
"That's it. We surrender. Winter, you win. Key West Anyone?"
Try the Beach Instead
A popup add on the site showed pictures of beaches and people playing in the sun, with the words visit Ithaca crossed out. Instead of the usual messages about what there is to see and do in Ithaca people saw this message:
"Due to this ridiculously stupid winter, Ithaca invites you to visit the Florida Keys this week. Please come back when things thaw out. Really, it's for the birds here now. (Still want to Visit Ithaca? Are you sure? Ok, click here. P.S. Send us a postcard."
Bruce Stoff, director of the Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau told CNN this strange and highly comical marketing campaign was his idea.
"It was 5 degrees below zero this morning when I woke up," Stoff told CNN. "Everyone in the Northeast is beaten by winter now, and we're dreaming of being someplace that is warm."
The forecast for Ithaca this week included a low of -4 degrees and a high of only 29. As for what the folks in Florida think of the free marketing opportunity, one official told CNN it was the "wackiest" thing he'd seen.