Vermont Opens 2027 Tourism Marketing Program Sign-Ups for Businesses
Roughly 16 million people visited Vermont in 2024, and state tourism officials are now asking local businesses to sign up for the 2027 Vermont Tourism Marketing Program before applications close on December 31.
The paid marketing initiative helps operators promote their services to prospective travelers through statewide resources. Participating businesses secure features in the Vermont Inspiration Guide and the Stay & Play Directory hosted on vermontvacation.com, according to the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.
Packages for the upcoming marketing cycle start at $850 for members of the Vermont Chamber. Nonmembers face a starting price of $1190 for the promotional packages.
The annual push follows a busy baseline for the Green Mountain State’s hospitality sector. A state-commissioned report shows that approximately 16 million people visited the state in 2024.
The Inspiration Guide Reaches 90,000 Copies
The Vermont Inspiration Guide serves as a primary print component for the campaign. The free booklet boasts a circulation of 90,000 copies, according to a chamber press release.
Distribution reaches travelers at welcome centers, hotels, and tourist destinations across Vermont as well as in key out-of-state markets. Businesses weighing the investment often look at past returns from the cooperative advertising effort.
Robert Bartlett advertised in the booklet for the first time last year. “Business was up about 30% last season,” said Robert Bartlett, owner and president of Fairlee Marine, a boat rental business.
While Bartlett noted it is impossible to attribute that growth definitively to a single advertising channel, he plans to purchase space in the publication again. Other operators find value in the broader market research generated by the state tourism apparatus.
The Luce family used state findings showing hiking as a top visitor activity to guide decisions at their Woodstock property. “Past resources from the Tourism Marketing Program had been helpful,” said Betsy Luce, second-generation proprietor of Sugarbush Farm.
That data inspired the family to expand trail networks around their farm.
Vermont Unveils New Tourism Logo and Slogan
The 2027 marketing cycle marks the first promotional push under a fresh visual identity. Vermont unveiled its new tourism logo and “State of Inspiration” slogan on July 30.
State procurement records show that Vermont awarded design firm DNCO a $235,750 contract in October 2025 to develop the brand. Tourism officials view the directory and guide as vital tools for pushing the new messaging outward.
“The Inspiration Guide and online Stay & Play directory allow us to reinforce Vermont’s new ‘State of Inspiration’ tourism positioning by emphasizing creativity and authentic experiences,” Sara DeFilippi, interim commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, wrote in a statement to the Valley News.
Not all operators view the current statewide marketing heft as sufficient compared to neighboring jurisdictions. Some hoteliers argue that competing northeastern states dedicate far larger budgets to regional promotion.
“From our perspective, the other states in New England have more robust statewide tourism programs that are working for them,” said Dave Burtonbush, general manager and innkeeper at the Norwich Inn, told the Valley News.
Burtonbush welcomed the recent rebrand but hopes future promotional efforts will deliver standardized media kits that help disparate local businesses project a unified message. Luce echoed concerns that Vermont trails neighboring states like New York and Massachusetts in sheer advertising expenditure.
Businesses interested in joining the 2027 marketing campaign must submit their applications by December 31.