VisitErie unveils new brand celebrating life by the lake

VisitErie has introduced a new brand to attract visitors and highlight the region's lifestyle.
Last year, tourism in the Erie area generated over $1.2 billion in visitor spending and supported more than 15,000 jobs. VisitErie's rebranding effort is designed to maintain this momentum by appealing to both visitors and residents.
'Visitors and what they are looking for and what they want has changed,' said John Oliver, President & CEO of VisitErie. 'Visitors in the past it was often a static vacation. Now, they want to be active.'
The new brand, 'Good Life. Great Lake.', is intended to reflect Erie as a year-round destination, offering experiences from sandy summer beaches to snow-covered slopes.
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John Oliver emphasized that the region provides a wide range of activities to keep visitors engaged and stress-free.
Emily Biddle, Director of Marketing & Research at VisitErie, highlighted the significance of living on a Great Lake, noting that it is a major draw for both residents and visitors. 'We sort of take for granted the fact that we live on a great lake, that's huge,' she said.
The rebranding process took 18 months and involved developing not just a new logo and tagline, but a comprehensive look, feel, and tone.
Emily Biddle explained that the process was about understanding what resonates with people and creating a brand that embodies the local community.
The rebranding is built on five key pillars: the great outdoors, a foodie favorite, markers and culture, family-friendly for all ages, and heritage woven in. These pillars aim to promote Erie as a diverse and attractive destination for various interests.
With this new branding strategy, VisitErie hopes to continue attracting both new and returning visitors, potentially leading to further growth in tourism and economic benefits for the region.
'It's going to encourage visitors, those that haven't been here, to say 'hey we should give this a try',' John Oliver stated.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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