FALL RIVER — It’s road trip time.
As families chart their course for fun this summer — whether they opt to “Sail away on the Block Island Ferry” or embark on seaside adventures along Cape Cod — Viva Fall River wants to remind vacationers there’s so much they’re missing in between.
Enter their Take 5 Off 195 summer tourism campaign, enticing road-weary travelers to “Take a Break on the Way to the Cape” and take a spin around the Spindle City.
Starting Monday, a billboard featuring this slogan will greet drivers traveling eastbound through Providence on 195, at the Waterman Street exit, calling them to come fall in love with Fall River.
According to Patti Rego, executive director of Viva Fall River, the goal is to promote Fall River as an affordable, attractive rest stop where folks can “take five” for a few hours, en route to eventually cementing its place as a tourist destination.
“I think just the billboard will get people talking about Fall River and that in and of itself is an amazing goal … to get people talking about it in a positive way,” Rego said.
From the return of Fall River Farmers and Artisans Markets to Summer Evenings in the Park and more, the city is seeing so much activity this summer and Rego said she hopes to build on that momentum.
“We’ve got more events than ever, I’ve never seen a packed schedule like this, so I said this is the time,” said Rego, noting that Take 5 Off 195, which runs through July and August, was timed to coincide with Fourth of July travel planning.
While the billboard aims to be the big draw, the campaign doesn’t end there.
It features five custom itineraries with different traveler types in mind: History Buffs, Foodies, Waterfront Wonders, Arts and Culture and Family Fun.
“We really tried to get into the vibe of a road trip,” said Rego.
Within each itinerary are suggestions for restaurants, small businesses and attractions, accompanied by videos of various city locales that serve as highlight reels to capture people’s attention “so you can get a flavor of what you are going to see when you get off the highway,” Rego said.
Read more about the “Take 5 Off 195” summer tourism campaign here: https://www.heraldnews.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/fall-river-lures-cape-bound-travelers-summer-tourism-campaign-take-5-off-195/7710260001/?a=a&utm_source=heraldnews-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing_greeting&utm_term=list_article_headline&utm_content=NHER-MASSACHUSETTS-FALLRIVER-NLETTER65