Happy Happens

Check out San Diego’s Convention & Visitor’s Bureau's website. You’ll see images of San Diego and smiling San Diegans front and center with the slogan “happy HAPPENS.”

Along the lines of “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas,” San Diego unveiled its new tourism campaign advertising campaign Wednesday.

How much does it cost to spread happy? According to ConVis, $8 million will be spent on the national campaign.

The hope is "happy" will bring money into the community and “position San Diego as a 'good vibes' destination.”

"As our third-largest industry, tourism generates nearly $8 billion annually for our economy and directly employs 164,000 San Diegans," Mayor Jerry Sanders is quoted in a ConVis release. "This campaign is going to invite [travelers] to experience what many of us are looking for in these stressful economic times, a positive outlook and happy mood."

The campaign was developed after a focus group study of people from key markets like Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix and San Francisco said they perceived San Diego as a "feel happy" place.

Radio and television spots will air in several key western markets now through early June 2009.

Will Americans travel to San Diego to find happy? Let's hope and by doing so, leave a little happy behind for us locals.

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