DELHI _ Folks planning to stay and play in Delaware County's Catskill Mountains can head to the Internet for inspiration.
The Chamber of Commerce campaign "" Great Western Catskills of Delaware County "" kicks off with two new websites, an online e-mail newsletter for tourists, bookmarks, car stickers and a video.
Mary Beth Silano, Chamber executive director, said tourism director Patty Cullen has done an excellent job designing the websites so they divide the information into an online travel brochure and calendar of local events and festivals.
The first website, www.greatwesterncatskills.com, contains official tourism information. Here, visitors can find lodging options and stay and play, or discount, packages. The site also includes recreational businesses, attractions, shopping, dining and information on the towns.
Silano said the goal is to save travelers time, gasoline and money by highlighting attractions, shopping, dining and lodging in one region of the county.
"The travel guide divides the county into quadrants, north, south, east and west," Silano said.
The "things to do" content will be developing, she said, such as adding a "36 hours" itinerary for each of the four areas.
After Cullen researched website statistics for tourism properties, frequently used search terms and advertising campaigns, and talked to travelers at trade shows, she said she realized there was some confusion about Delaware County's name and location.
"People think we're Delaware state often or that the Delaware Water Gap is here," Cullen said. "They don't know we're in the Catskill Mountains and so close to the metro New York City market."
Cullen said she created a second website at www.delawarecountytoday.com to showcase events that tourists, second homeowners and family guests would like to know about.
"Events are something we need to promote to everyone," Cullen said. "Especially people who live in the towns within a one-hour drive of us and our growing second-homeowner population."
Silano said the second website is designed so area tourist properties and entertainment venues can post their events and keep the online calendar up to date.
She said the Great Western Catskills campaign is already paying off.
"We have been getting a lot more phone calls," Silano said Friday. "People seem to be looking for prepackaged vacations."
There are more website requests for the annual travel guide, Cullen said, and calls to the office for additional tourism information have increased, especially with the antique and art gallery directory, Catskill Scenic Trail map and fishing map brochures.
Silano said the Chamber of Commerce website is also getting an overhaul and will be geared toward businesses, but with links to the new tourism sites.
"It was just too confusing with everything on one big website," Silano said.
The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is the designated tourism promotion agency for Delaware County and manages the state's I Love NY matching funds program. To contact the tourism program, e-mail tourism@delawarecounty.org or call (866) 775-4425.
