( CNN ) Just how cold and miserable is it in upstate New York ? It 's apparently so miserable that even those whose job it is to encourage visits to Ithaca are telling tourists they probably should make other plans . Web visitors who go to VisitIthaca.com , the Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau website , will now see a pop-up banner that says , `` That 's it . We surrender . Winter , you win . Key West anyone ? '' Bruce Stoff , director of the Visitors Bureau , came up with the unconventional marketing campaign . `` It was 5 degrees below zero this morning when I woke up , '' Stoff said Monday . `` Everyone in the Northeast is beaten by winter now , and we 're dreaming of being someplace that is warm . '' The message goes on to say , `` Due to this ridiculously stupid winter , Ithaca invites you to visit the Florida Keys this week . Please come back when things thaw out . Really , it 's for the birds here now . '' It provides a link to the Keys website at fla-keys.com . A spokesperson for the Florida Keys Tourism Council called the initiative `` the wackiest thing I 've ever seen in my life from a tourism marketing standpoint . '' Andy Newman got a call from Stoff last week pitching the idea and asking for permission to use pictures of the Florida Keys homepage . This was n't an advertising campaign , Newman said , and no money was exchanged . `` I did n't believe he 'd actually go through with it , '' Newman said . But considering the weather conditions in the Keys right now , he understands . `` It 's in the 70s , there 's no snow and no frost on the ground , '' Newman said . `` Come on down . Why would n't you ? '' Winter spreads its reach from Northeast to South and beyond . CNN 's John Branch contributed to this report .
VisitIthaca.com is redirecting visitors to a Florida Keys tourism site . Site says , `` Please come back when things thaw out . We are working hard on the restoration of our beaches and we hope you will visit us again soon.