RRDA is county’s new tourism agency

One of the things that’s been so amazing is we’ve had such great support from the community.”

Jaime Hollander, managing director, RRDA

In a significant development for the local tourism industry, RRDA, a Glen Head-based marketing agency, has been awarded the Nassau County Tourism contract by the county government.
The announcement comes after a rigorous selection process, marking a pivotal moment for RRDA and the promotion of Nassau County as a premier tourist destination.

Managing director and owner of RRDA, Jaime Hollander, named the company after her daughters’ initials, Ryan, Rose, Drew and Annabelle. Founded in 2012 and officially incorporated as RRDA in 2019, Hollander said the agency has steadily grown from a one-person operation to a dynamic team of professionals.

She emphasized the importance to have as many women and Long Island locals working in the company as possible, although some employees do work remotely from Connecticut or the city. As a women-owned and operated business, RRDA holds WeBank MWBE certification and boasts a diverse team with roots in media and publishing.

“One of the things that’s been so amazing is we’ve had such great support from the community,” said Hollander. “We’ve had so much outreach from local businesses, bids, government. It’s been awesome.”

In April of 2023, the RRDA team submitted their Request for Proposal to the county, throwing their hat in the ring to replace Discover Long Island as the county’s tourism agency. Hollander recalled how she and her team had never expected to be awarded the RFP, but were elated when they got the news, the day after Christmas.

“I wish I could bottle that feeling,” Hollander said. “We thought to ourselves, ‘We were probably a long shot, we’re small potatoes,’ and when we got it it was just crazy.”

Hollander said she thinks that RRDA’s proposal stood out for its focus on personalized experiences tailored to different visitor personas. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the agency aims to highlight Nassau County’s diverse attractions, from pristine beaches to rich cultural offerings and everything in between. By aligning interests with activities, RRDA seeks to entice tourists with unique experiences that resonate with their preferences.

“I think the biggest difference is that while they’re focusing on Long Island as a region, we’re just focusing on Nassau County,” explained Hollander. “So we’re kind of more enticing people to come have these really unique experiences, versus just kind of a blanket ‘Come explore.’”

With Nassau County celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and hosting events like the Cricket World Cup, Hollander said that RRDA is looking forward to working with the county at such a pivotal moment in its history. Hollander added that the county has been very helpful and supportive, and that she and her team were looking forward to continuing to work with them.

The agency’s comprehensive approach encompasses not only popular tourist spots but also lesser-known gems, ensuring a holistic representation of Nassau County’s offerings. While Hollander said that her team certainly draws from their own life experiences on Long Island, it is important to them that they include the voices of residents, businesses, and local organizations to better highlight the different and wonderful aspects of their various communities.

“Obviously with a lot of us living here, we wanted to show people our Nassau County, but at the same time we joked we don’t want to be a focus group of one,” said Hollander. “We’re doing a lot of persona research at the moment, both for locals and for high value tourists coming to the area, to see what’s attractive to them.”

As RRDA prepares to roll out its tourism campaign, collaboration remains a cornerstone of its strategy. The agency welcomes input and participation from local businesses eager to showcase their offerings on the new Nassau County tourism website, slated for launch in May.

Anyone interested in reaching out to RRDA can email Hollander directly at jaime@rrdali.com

“We want to make sure that all the businesses have an opportunity to really shine and share what makes them a part of the community,” emphasized Hollander. “What a dream project, to get to promote where you live.”