Pioneer Valley visitors guide

By Lori O' Brien, Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD - Summertime is upon us and it is an ideal time to take advantage of all the Pioneer Valley has to offer for individuals and families.

Not sure where to start planning for your vacation or a day off?

The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) recently published its 2007-2008 Guide to Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley that is chock full of travel ideas for area residents and visitors to the region.

The 84-page magazine-style publication features some of the region's top attractions, accommodations and restaurants, all of which are GSCVB members. The guide's specific segments arts and entertainment, shopping, outdoor activities and nightlife (to name a few) enable readers to quickly access information.

"The Pioneer Valley continues to evolve as an attractive visitor destination, and we are pleased to convey this message via our guide," said GSCVB President Mary Kay Wydra. "There have been many additions and enhancements to our regional offerings, and there's something for every visitor."

A popular feature of the annual magazine is the "what's new" section which in 2007 highlights new attractions and rides at Six Flags New England, as well as the recently opened Amherst Cinema Arts Center, New England Falconry, and this fall's region-wide Book Marks cultural promotion. In addition, the upcoming inauguration of daily flights to Amsterdam, Holland from Bradley International Airport is highlighted.

The guide also features a lively editorial section on the region that takes drivers from one town to the next, as well as visitor-friendly maps and fall foliage driving tours.

Area residents can pick up the latest guide at member hotels, attractions and restaurants, key highway information centers, and its two visitor information centers in Springfield (1200 West Columbus Ave. and 1441 Main St.). The guide is also available free of charge by calling the GSCVB at (413) 755-1351 or via e-mail at info@valleyvisitor.com. Visitors to the Berkshires and Boston will also have easy access to the guide from June through August at visitor information centers along the Massachusetts Turnpike.

For area residents who prefer to use the Internet, check out the GSCVB's revamped tourism website www.valleyvisitor.com. The site features a new design, easier navigation and expanded features. Standard offerings include trip planning for leisure travelers, group tour operators and meeting planners, an events calendar, listings of area colleges and relocation services, media services, GSCVB membership information and direct online reservation services for area hotels.

Additions to the website include a search function, e-newsletter signups and the inclusion of a streaming video that highlights the region's attractions. The website also includes an enhanced feature that highlights GSCVB member cultural and heritage attractions through text and photos that enable the visitor to send an electronic postcard from one of the many cultural and heritage attractions in the Pioneer Valley.

"While we have introduced some updates over the years, we have wanted to give it a major overhaul for some time now, especially since that was one of the primary recommendations in our Bureau's strategic plan, and we now have a new tourism marketing logo and campaign underway," said Wydra.

Wydra noted that the GSCVB wanted its website to be innovative and reflective of all the changes in both the region and the world of technology.

"We're very proud now to bring our visitors the best of both with the introduction of our new website," she added.

The GSCVB, an affiliate of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, is a private, nonprofit destination marketing organization dedicated to promoting the Pioneer Valley for meetings and conventions, group tours and leisure travel.