OXFORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
30 W. Park Pl. #2, Oxford
513-523-5200
www.oxfordchamber.org
OXFORD WINE FESTIVAL
2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 31
Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the gate. Includes five tasting tickets, and a souvenir glass
Buy tickets in advance online at www.oxfordchamber.org
For this week’s chamber of commerce feature, the Journal-News talked to Carol Dockum, president of Oxford Chamber of Commerce.
Dockum is busy preparing for the chamber’s seventh annual Oxford Wine Festival coming up in May.
The wine festival raises money for a scholarship fund through the Oxford Community Foundation. Every year, the scholarship is awarded to a Talawanda High School graduate interested in pursuing a nontraditional, secondary education.
Also during the festival, the chamber takes the opportunity to “Toast the Town,” which has become tradition.
1. What is the message of the Butler County Visitors Bureau’s new campaign “Hello Weekend” and what excites you about it?
Tracy Kocher, director of marketing, Butler Co. Visitors Bureau: The Visitors Bureau launched in March at its annual meeting a new advertising campaign, "Hello Weekend," to attract leisure travelers to Butler County.
“Many of our hotels have lower occupancy over the weekend. That’s a need period for us.”
“One of the tourism trends right now is quick getaways.”
“One of the things we have here in Butler County is we’re very centrally located,” ideal for weekend trips.
“We have several attractions that are marquee attractions like Jungle Jim’s and EnterTRAINment Junction. We also have a lot of sporting events.” People also visit during the weekend for festivals and events such as the upcoming Oxford Wine Festival, she said.
Additionally, Butler County has a variety of attractions for a variety of visitors such as shopping for a girl’s getaway, or skydiving in Middletown and wake boarding in Fairfield for thrill seekers, she said.
Dockum: "What I got excited about it is they just really nailed it."
“I think everybody looks forward to the weekend, especially if they’re working full-time or they’re running businesses.”
2. What is the benefit of attracting more weekend travelers to Oxford?
Dockum: "If we can attract more travelers to Oxford on weekends and even during the middle of the week, and they stay overnight, they're going to wake up in the morning and engage in shopping and dining."
“Even just touring Miami University, it’s one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.”
The more time visitors spend in the city, the more likely they are to frequent the chamber’s members, she said.
3. How do efforts behind “Hello Weekend” and the wine festival tie together?
Dockum: "The Oxford Wine Festival is a prime example of a destination location attraction. Over 1,500 attendees travel from across the state every year to enjoy wines from around the world, craft and import beer, fabulous music, talented artisans, and A Taste of Oxford cuisine. It's truly a community celebration that beckons and welcomes guests and visitors. It's a perfect "Hello Weekend" get-away opportunity for all to stay the night and enjoy the Red Brick streets of Oxford, shop, wine and dine."
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