Released on: June 2, 2008, 2:12 pm

Press Release Author: Ruf Strategic Solutions

Industry: Government

Press Release Summary: The Kansas Department of Commerce, Travel and Tourism
Division recently learned that it has a reservoir of out of state hunters and
fishers estimated to spend $47 million in tourism dollars a year.

Press Release Body: OLATHE, Kan. - The Kansas Department of Commerce, Travel and
Tourism Division recently learned that it has a reservoir of out of state hunters
and fishers estimated to spend $47 million in tourism dollars a year. The study
conducted by Ruf Strategic Solutions, a database marketing company, combined data
from the Travel and Tourism Division and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
(KDWP), revealing a disconnect between traveler inquiries and known visitors.

Download a geographic profile map of hunters and fishers visiting Kansas:
http://www.ruf.com/kstourism/

Richard Smalley, marketing manager of Kansas Department of Commerce, Travel and
Tourism Division, said that Ruf helped them uncover a segment of valuable visitors
who were previously untapped. "A fundamental principle of marketing is to get the
right message to the right people at the right time," said Smalley. "We now have a
greater ability to promote the natural assets of the state, both the consumptive and
non-consumptive markets, with highly targeted messages, cost-effectively."

Through the database marketing collaboration, the Travel and Tourism Division now
has 55,438 new e-mail addresses for its database. Kansas tourism increased their
data by more than 65 percent with known past visitors to the state and increased
their e-mail database by 62 percent.

Both departments will benefit from the results of this new study. Not only will the
Travel and Tourism Division have a new demographic to target, but the money earned
from licenses goes back into preserving the wildlife and parks and managing the
ecosystems. Preservation of Kansas' natural wildlife will ensure that hunters and
fishers will continue to bring their business to Kansas.

Jake Ruf, principal of Ruf Strategic Solutions, said that prior to the study, Kansas
tourism only had access to data from individuals who requested information about
traveling to Kansas. "KDWP had raw data about individuals who had registered for
Kansas hunting and fishing licenses, but the state department didn't have the means
to use the data to its full potential," said Ruf.

Ruf Strategic Solutions delivers a full suite of marketing intelligence solutions to
help organizations acquire new customers, retain existing customers and develop
one-to-one relationships to maximize profitability. Ruf's unique ability to
integrate vast arrays of data, technology tools and over 31 years of expertise,
empowers organizations with truly actionable and measurable intelligence. For more
information, visit www.ruf.com.


Web Site: http://www.ruf.com

Contact Details: For more information please contact Valerie Jennings at
816-221-1040 or send an e-mail to valerie@jenningspr.net.