The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-05
Residents Of Connecticut
 NoW "COnnecticut-Minded"
Commission Gets Results Hotels Booming; Major
 BOwes Joins Staff


 BY WILLARD D. ROGERS
 Chairman, Connecticut Publicity
 Commission
 Business in q large number of New England hotels which replied to Q New England Council questionnaire has increased 1o per cent in the present vacation or tourist season. Accepting the conservative 1400, ,O00,- 900 figure for summer and tourist business in New England in 1894, that means that already this figure iS approaching the half billion dollar mark which was the objective of the New England Council. But what- ever figure you choose to use, the fact remains that Old Man DepreS- sion has been dealt Q telling blow through the foresight of New Eng. land leaders in not only recognizing the recreational industry as Q great potential boon to business but in opening the door to opportunity which was knocking and which needed only the stimulus of c sound, digrifled and permanent advertising campaign.
 Connecticut is enjoying It's share of this great influx of new money none yearned in othe rSectionS of the country and spent with Us. A business which carries Q tremendous margin of profit for this money asks little in return.
 Low Advertising Cost
 Although 1t would require pro- hibitive study to definitely ascer- tain he exact cost of this annual half-billion dollar business to New England, we do know that the New England States, as states, spend 9l00,000 c year, or have for the past two years. This united advertising fund of the New England States was spent as follows:
 $40, ,206. .47-national magazine ad- vcrtising; $24, ,47o.66-newSpaper ads vertising-(all outside of New Eng. land); 9Io,o6i .00-direct mail, in. ciuding publication and distribution of booklets.
 | l2, 2,060.60-rAdio broadcasts from New York City, i3 weeks. 1,702.60-MiscellaneouS publicity, 1 including articles and photographs for newgpa. per8 and magazines and printing.
 The New England Council spends another $S0,000 6 year in recrea. tional development advertising. Connecticut Now Active
 Connecticut, which for years re- fused to officially recognize the rec. reational industry as worthwhile, in tho l036 session of the General Assembly, authorized tho creation of c Connecticut Publicity Commits sion. That Commission, comprised of business leaders who not only do- nate their time but also their ex' pengeS, has already sent to most Selective mailing list 100000 beauti- fully prepared map.booklets md hat caused the distribution of more thar 000,000 seals depicting Conncctcut'i recreational blessings so artistically and dignifiedly that the United States post office department hai for the first tine ruled that these seals may Do placed upon the front of envelopes, packages and such.
 And thanks to 6 most coopera- tive press and the radio stations, Q campaign to make Connecticut peo- pic Connecticut-nlindcd has become such ail outstanding success that men, women and children, in ell walks Of life, have almost over- night become 6 great army of Con- necticut boosters. This awakening of 6 Connecticut conscience has worked wonders.
 Reasons
 First, 1t has convinced both pulp lie officials and taxpayers that the recreational industry not only has been the salvation of many shore, lake, hill and rural towns because Of the taxes these summer residents pay, but that 1t stands ready, through proper development, to as- sume 6 much greater share of the tax burden of these sections.
 Second, business of almost every nature has 50 definitely profited by this influx of visitors with cash to spend that business heads arc inc sisting that greater impetus be giv- en the prornotional work.
 Third, the new construction work, moderniEation projects, etc. of these summer visitors, including as they do many of the wealthieSt fair- flies of the metropolitan centcrS, have gone c long way toward conl- batting unemployment in many sec tions of the state and have thereby signally reduced the relief demands upon those towns in the shore, lake, hill and rural sections.
 Tn many other ways such as the tremendous increase in gasoline consumption and the resultant gaso- line tax revenue for the state, this recreational industry bids fair to be-