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Show 'Promote' Is Theme for Ad Council Meet "Promote, promote, promote" was the overriding theme of Thursday's Garfield Advertising Council as they met for the final session of 1981. Promoting tourism and overall development within the county will continue to be uppermost in the plans of that committee for 1982 as well. Members of the council include both business and civic minded participants in each community of Garfield County. Bob Benfield, president of the council, was commended for his conscientious efforts in behalf of the county; most notably for his thorough preparation and follow through on business agenda items. Benfield brought to the attention of council attendees a recent controversy over apportioning of the vital transient room tax to counties to promote advertising. Benfield, along with county commissioners and Panguitch City manager Bruce Fullmer will attend an important meeting being held in Cedar City today to gain some added incite into the controversy as well as provide valuable input to legislators who will be in attendance. Several times each year Garfield County pays host to visiting "tour (Continued on Page 2) V . Ad Council Moves To Promote Region Continued from Page 1 ) oriented" groups brought into the area to acquaint them with what specifically Garfield has to offer a visiting tourist. These tours are tagged "familiarization" tours or FAM tours and cater directly to tour bus operators, booking agents, etc. and others associated with informing the public about areas in which to vacation. Benfield related to the group that just such a tour will take place in June of 1982 and will host representatives of the American Travel Writers Association, within our county. In past months the state of Utah, in pursue efforts to have a sign put near the port of entry into Utah at St. George. This would be a billboard design promoting the sights of Garfield County. In past months the state of Utah, on conjunction with the advertising council has maintained information bulletin boards at rest areas statewide. A new proposal, to have overnight camping accomodations posted at these rest areas was introduced and unanimously passed that only private campgrounds be listed at these sites. Benfield reported to the group that efforts to obtain billboard coverage about Garfield County near Levan had proved successful. A one year lease was signed providing payment of $100 per months for this promotional advertising with Galaxy Signs. An option was also taken for additional years of advertising if desired by the county. Barbara Corless, manager of the .Sands Motel in Panguitch reported on an assignment to look into design of a placemat for county businesses. Several samples of current placemats used by individual counties were circulated and the pros and cons of such a move were debated. The matter was moved for further study and will be further researched by Corless and Jim Clarke. A summary report of the effectiveness of the two new visitor centers in the county was provided by Benfield to the group. Panguitch City manager Bruce Fullmer related to members that his office was additionally receiving complimentary letters each month about the new centers. It was learned that commissioner George Middleton is looking into ways in which to secure trees and shrubs for the center in Hatch. Ruby's Inn has offered a tree mover apparatus to the county as needed to help landscape the Hatch site. It was agreed by all in attendance that visitor centers at both sites needed to have hours extended in which they were open to the public as well as the length of days the facilities would be open. It was suggested that the possibility of obtaining brochure dispensing machines be looked into to provide additional tourism information in those hours in which the information centers were closed. Numerous advertising brochures for the county were reviewed by the membership and orders were placed for those leaflets to be prepared for the 1982 tourist season. Discussion was held at length as to how best promote the opening of the Panguitch Lake road and development of winter ice fishing at Panguitch Lake in short time remaining before winter snowfall. It was decided by the group to slate a meeting with Brianhead Recreation people, Panguitch Lake Resort owners and Panguitch Chamber of Commerce to further look into-tins ' newest agenda item. |