Mission Statement

The mission of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority is to enhance the regional economy through tourism and convention development initiatives.

Situation Analysis

2003 was a pivotal year for Atlantic City. The much-anticipated opening of the The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and the 25th anniversary of legalized gaming, combined with a wealth of new development elsewhere in the city, put Atlantic City in the media and public spotlight. The attention brought record-breaking traffic to Atlantic City on July Fourth weekend and the city accommodated high volumes throughout the summer.

Additional hotel rooms helped the city inch closer to the inventory required to attract larger conventions and facilitate increased leisure tourism during peak periods.

New beach and Boardwalk activities added to the destination amenities, including three beach bars, a rebuilt block of Boardwalk stores and Tropicana’s Marketplace at the Boardwalk. Additionally, increased bookings of top artists and shows at Boardwalk Hall — several of which were sold out — have furthered the resort’s reputation as an entertainment Mecca.

The addition of new air service through Delta Connection/Comair, plus new air routes on Spirit Airlines, have made Atlantic City more accessible. The Wall Street Journal reported that Atlantic City is the second fastest growing airport of the top two hundred major markets in the country.

The combination of post-September 11 safety concerns and a downturn in the economy has prompted a national trend toward smaller, regional conventions, trade shows and meetings. The Atlantic City Convention Center is well positioned to take advantage of this trend, thanks to the prime northeast location and easy accessibility.

In order to capitalize on these strengths, 2003 presented the perfect year to research and act on a new branding initiative. Targeted focus group participants and survey respondents in key markets indicated that positioning Atlantic City as a place for grown-up entertainment is both accurate and a motivator. Toward that end, the ACCVA launched a new marketing theme – Always Turned On – and logo.

These factors combined should position Atlantic City ahead of the curve as it faces challenges from other regional influences, such as gaming venues in surrounding states and competition from larger convention facilities currently under construction in several nearby markets.

With the increase in new tourism amenities in Atlantic City, an increase in hotel rooms, the new and positive media attention on the city, and the intensive marketing and PR efforts of the ACCVA, Atlantic City should be able to attract new and loyal visitors, maintaining (and possibly increasing) its position in the market.

New Initiatives

While we continue with our existing strategies, the ACCVA will pursue several new initiatives in 2004:

Branding. The launch of the new marketing theme and logo will be followed with consistent messaging and branding through extensive public relations and marketing efforts, and will be carried through every aspect of ACCVA operations.

Product placement, to support branding efforts. These efforts will include public relations events in key geographic areas to ensure that the "Always Turned On" message receives maximum exposure in the primary target market of adults 35+. It will also include an effort to place positive mentions of Atlantic City in television shows and films.

Corporate partnerships with national brands, to provide tie-ins with the Always Turned On theme and provide exposure for Atlantic City on a national scale.

Sports marketing, to attract major sports events to Atlantic City. The fact that Smart Ones Skate America chose Atlantic City as the host site of the 2005 pre-Olympic competitions shows that Atlantic City provides the appropriate combination of facilities and destination amenities for sporting events. The economic impact of such events can be extensive.

Film marketing, to attract filmmakers to use Atlantic City for location shoots. Atlantic City provides a broad variety of scenic locations, as well as many of the other amenities that producers and directors seek. Again, experience proves that this type of activity provides a positive economic impact throughout the community.