DALLAS, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- If you see a Texas cowboy on horseback in Manhattan, it's because Texas On Tour has hit the Big Apple. Texas Tourism created Texas On Tour, an experiential tourism traveling road show, to take a little bit of the Lone Star State to markets nationwide. Texas On Tour (http://www.texasontour.com/) will be in New York City for the first time from May 28 to May 31 at the city's South Street Seaport.
Texas On Tour, developed by TM Advertising (Texas Tourism's advertising agency of record), and managed by RedPeg Marketing, is a 53-foot interactive experience that is traveling across the United States again this year with 11 stops coast to coast, including a special stop in the Big Apple. New Yorkers will experience firsthand how to Texas two-step from the world-famous honky-tonk Billy Bob's of Fort Worth, test their lasso skills with a real dude ranch trick roper from Bandera, Texas, hear a live concert by Will Sexton and get photos taken with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Families will learn how to build the ultimate sand castle by a sand castle sculptor, pose for a picture in front of the Alamo and meet unique animals from SeaWorld San Antonio. And Texas On Tour is bringing Asleep at the Wheel to the Seaport Music Festival stage on May 29.
Other highlights of the Texas On Tour experience include: -- Virtual Reality Kayak Adventure - Ride the Waterways of Texas. Through a virtual-kayak simulator, riders will travel through the rapids of the Big Bend Country canyons to Austin's Lady Bird Lake and continue on their journey to the serene Caddo Lake. The journey ends on the rolling waves of the Gulf of Mexico. -- Green-Screen Photo Experience - Picture Yourself in Texas. Visitors will be transported to the historic Alamo, the grandiose scenery of the Palo Duro Canyon, adventure-filled SeaWorld San Antonio or glamorous skylines of a Texas metropolis. Through green-screen technology, visitors can take a piece of Texas with them. -- Virtual Beach Stroll - Stroll Along the Texas Coast. Visitors are transported to the beautiful beaches of Texas' magnificent coastline, stretching 624 miles along the sun-kissed Gulf Coast. The bountiful fishing, sparkling sands and major metropolitan areas such as Houston and Corpus Christi bring this virtual experience to life. -- Entertainment Stage Featuring live entertainment, Texas musicians and interesting Texas trivia. -- Dome Projection Theater - Discover Texas. Theater-style setting where consumers can view all sides of Texas, from waterways to nightlife to adventure. After a brief, informative and entertaining movie, visitors participate in a trivia game and have the chance to win prizes. -- Major Sponsors of Texas On Tour Dallas/Fort Worth Area Tourism Council San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau SeaWorld San Antonio
Traditional and nontraditional advertising, guerrilla marketing and public relations anchor the effort, including Web and radio advertising, promotion and a viral e-mail campaign. Street teams dressed in Texas attire accompanied by cowboys on horseback will take to key spots throughout Manhattan to hand out refrigerator magnets with the "Come to Texas On Tour to Win a Free Trip for Two to Texas" promotion, which runs through October 2009.
"Texas On Tour is traveling to 11 destinations across the United States in 2009 to promote tourism to Texas and give potential visitors an opportunity to experience some of the sights and sounds of the Lone Star State," said Julie Chase, chief marketing officer for the Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism Division. "New York City is one of the most diverse and unique cities in the world and, therefore, presents a tremendous opportunity for us to introduce Texas to a variety of people who may not be aware of the exciting experiences the Lone Star State has to offer."
Texas Tourism's latest advertising campaign launched in February 2008. To view the integrated campaign created by TM Advertising, visit http://www.traveltex.com/ads/allads.aspx.
"Our goal is to give potential visitors the ability to truly experience the sights and sounds of Texas," said Drew Holmgreen, management supervisor for TM Advertising. "Texas On Tour nicely complements our advertising campaign for Texas Tourism and is designed to generate an emotional response from participants as they experience a variety of unique Texas attractions and adventures."
For more information on all there is to see and experience in Texas, visit http://www.traveltex.com/ or call 1-800-8888-TEX to order the Official Texas State Travel Guide and map.
For more information on TM Advertising visit http://www.tm.com/. For more information on RedPeg Marketing visit http://www.redpegmarketing.com/. For more information on Tourism in Texas visit http://www.traveltex.com/.
TM Advertising
CONTACT: Sarah Avery of TM Advertising, +1-972-830-2267,
sarah.avery@tm.com; or Wayne Henninger of RedPeg Marketing, +1-570-573-6556,
Wayne@statelywaynemanor.com
Web Site: http://www.tm.com/
