Harford County gathered more than 120 hoteliers, museums, attractions, and other tourism-related organizations on Thursday for the launch of “Hello Harford,” the county’s new approach to tourism using innovative technology, strategic marketing, and inclusive collaboration.
Tourism marketing is funded by the county’s 6% hotel tax.
The launch event at Swan Harbor Farm in Havre de Grace was organized by the Harford County Department of Economic Development, which is overseeing Hello Harford under the direction of the county’s new tourism manager, Jodi Marschhauser. County Executive Bob Cassilly gave welcoming remarks. The Havre de Grace High School Jazz Ensemble provided entertainment.
Attendees were introduced to two new technology platforms purchased by the county, which will be available to all tourism-related organizations, Placer AI and Let’s Rallie.
Placer AI allows event organizers to understand visitor foot traffic and behavior in real time, such as when people are coming to events and where they’re coming from. This data allows for targeted and more responsive marketing strategies.
Let’s Rallie assists visitors and organizers of larger events with an interactive map showing exactly where each vendor is and allows real-time notifications for announcements, schedule changes, and pop-up activities to communicate with attendees.
“Instead of guessing what is working—we will know. Instead of hoping people saw an ad—we’ll be able to track patterns and trends,” Marschhauser said. “This gives you a huge advantage as we build campaigns, schedule events, and support local businesses in the ways that matter most.”
Market research, conducted on behalf of the county by a professional marketing firm, led the county to a deeper understanding of what makes Harford unique and helped identify potential visitors, Marschhauser said.
Based on that research, the county developed branding and has begun digital marketing and targeted social media posts to reach and attract customers who might not otherwise have known about or thought of coming to Harford.
The new Hello Harford logo, website, and Facebook page identify the county as a friendly place that’s easy to reach for a weekend trip filled with festive events, natural beauty, and outdoor recreation.
Marschhauser said the website, www.helloharford.com, and Facebook page were built to be the go-to hubs for information, stories, events, and visuals that inspire visitors and locals alike.
“Whether someone’s planning a trip or already here looking for things to do, we want to make it seamless, engaging, and exciting,” she said.
Lastly, she said that she is personally visiting stakeholders and encouraging collaboration among them.
“Harford is already blessed to have tourists coming here each weekend—youth sports, weddings, festivals, etc., we attract people far and wide. While they’re here, we’ll make sure these visitors know everything there is to experience and enjoy in Harford County and to take advantage of more places to stay, things to do and places to see. This will involve the use of technology but more fundamentally, it will involve facilitating communication and collaboration among all stakeholders—to ensure that you know what’s happening and that you feel part of the process; to ensure that new partnerships and collaborations are formed; and to make sure your information is known to visitors. And we’re here to help make those connections to benefit our visitors and your business.”
County Executive Bob Cassilly emphasized the importance of collaboration.
“And because we’re connected to you, we can connect you with each other. This event is only one example – and it won’t be the last. Because when hoteliers and restaurants and attractions work together, it’s a win for them and it’s a win for visitors.”
The county executive brought tourism marketing into the county government last year. He explained the decision to attendees:
“When I came into office two years ago, I had an open mind and took a full year to evaluate options for tourism. After careful analysis, I determined that it would be more efficient and effective to have tourism under county government instead of an outside entity. Why should that matter to you? Because we are embracing the latest technology and making it available to our tourism industry partners so we can work together to identify and implement new ideas and strategies to attract tourists who otherwise would not know or have considered coming to Harford County. We are excited about this new approach, and I am confident that this will elevate tourism to greater heights – along with your bottom line.”
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