Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association (FLWCTMA) organized as an entity in 2000 with one purpose in mind, to promote economic development in the Finger Lakes region of the state of New York. A strong tourism industry adds depth to a community, making it much more desirable to live and work. It is the belief of area employers and civic leaders that everyone benefits from a community rich in history, culture, and scenic beauty. A unified branding initiative with strategic marketing and promotional programs attracts tourists to the Finger Lakes region. Critical mass affords opportunity and collectively, the area has a diverse product offering. Our target audience is the touring vacationer coming from a 150-500 mile radius. Marketing under the brand Finger Lakes Wine Country, "Finger Lakes" places us on the map in terms of geography, "Wine" is our unique differentiator as the largest wine producing region east of the Rocky Mountains, and "Country" conveys the message that we have a basket of disparate attractions with a broad visitor appeal. To stimulate the tourism industry in the area the organization has developed a long-term program of advertising, promotion, and marketing of the region as a tourist and vacation destination by using market research to guide its efforts. By pooling the resources of multiple public and private stakeholders, FLWTMA spends a significant portion of its annual budget on a fully-integrated media buy, media relations campaign, and marketing program.