Charting the Course The Southern Lake Huron Assessment Workshop: Promoting the Thumb

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Gervais Dickerson
6 years ago
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1 Charting the Curse The Suthern Lake Hurn Assessment Wrkshp: Prmting the Thumb May 19, 2011, nn - 4:00 p.m. Tuscla Technlgical Center, Rm Cleaver Rad, Car, Mich. Wrkshp Agenda 11 a.m. Optinal Cmputer Training Using Pure Michigan s Free Web Services (Registratin Required, Mary Bhling, Rm 102) Nn Lunch (prvided, Rm 302) 12:30 p.m. Welcme - Jim Diana Intrductins - Mary Bhling Marketing Assessment Strengths and Opprtunities Christine Vgt & Dan McCle 1:30 p.m. Current Prgrams and Future Directins Pure Michigan Marketing Campaign - Ken Yarsevich Discver the Blue - Judi Stewart Thumb Area Turism Cuncil - Chuck Frst and Kris McArdle 3:00 p.m. Discussin New Strategies fr Prmting the Regin Wrap-Up and Next Steps 4:00 p.m. Adjurn Participants: Bill Mldwin, Sanilac Cunty; Carl Osentski, Hurn Cunty Ecnmic Develpment; Chris Byle, Prt Austin Kayak; Christine Vgt, Michigan State University; Chuck Frst, Thumb Area Turism Cuncil; Dan McCle, Michigan State University; Gene Schuett, Prt Hpe City Cuncil; James Ribbrn, St. Clair Cunty Extensin; Jerme Lewis, Thumbwrks; Jim Diana, Michigan Sea Grant; Je Bixler, MSU Extensin; Jyce Stanek, Greater Prt Austin Chamber f Cmmerce, Judi Stewart, Bluewater Cnventin and Visitrs Bureau; Ken Yarsevichk, Travel Michigan; Kris McArdle, Thumb Area Turism Cuncil; Lynn Vaccar, Michigan Sea Grant; Mary Bhling, Michigan Sea Grant, Pat Cutler, Captain's Quarters Inn, Lexingtn; Rita Dahmen, Mnitring Marketing, Prt Sanilac; Sally Mldwin, Sanilac Cunty; Sam Lvall, Alliance fr the Great Lakes; Sara Adlerstein, University f Michigan; Sid Hldnick, Prt Hpe Histric Preservatin; Steven Schwab, Harbr Beach Harbr Master; Zyggy Dwrzecki, Tuscla Cunty, Ntes frm Wrkshp I. Marketing Assessment (Slides nline, a few highlights and cmments belw.)

2 Christine and Dan utlined the types f pleasure travelers that came t the Thumb in 2010 and cmpared them t peple traveling within all f Michigan. Wh des the area seem t be attracting? Where is their rm fr grwth? Festivals, visits t family and friends and the beaches are ppular reasns fr visiting. Mst area visitrs d nt stay vernight. Spending per visitr n accmmdatins is lwer in Thumb than ther parts f MI. Mst area visitrs cme withut kids. Ken pinted ut that mst leisure travelers travel withut kids, s these unencumbered adults are a big market. Data des nt include Canadians traveling t Michigan. Bill nted that Canadians seem t flck t malls in the Sanilac area. Data des nt include secnd hme wners, but des include friends and family visiting peple wh wn a vacatin hme in the Thumb. The Thumb area has a limited number f ldging ptins. Kris pinted ut that after events in Car many peple g t Frankenmuth fr htels. Rita said Sanilac mtels fills up quickly. There are very few chain htels in the area. Many summer camps near Sanilac, says Pat. Culd we market t parents as they drp ff kids? Cuples retreat? Dinners ut? II. Pure Michigan Marketing Campaign (Slides nline, a few highlights and cmments belw.) Ken Yarsevich explained sme f the free services ffered by Travel Michigan and described the different aspects f the Pure Michigan campaigns. Pure Michigan is ne f the largest (seventh?) travel marketing campaigns in the wrld. 97% f travel plans are made nline. Withut a website, businesses are invisible. Mst travel plans are made by wmen, which guides much f their TV marketing. Businesses can list their sites fr free n Pure Michigan s website and take advantage f ther services and market research. Pure Michigan has partnered with many regins f Michigan t create brands and marketing fr that area the sunrise side (NE Michigan), the bluewater area etc. The Thumb area culd d this, but Ken thinks they need t have mre f their travel pprtunities nline and develp a financial plan fr partnering. III. Discver the Blue (Slides nline, a few highlights and cmments belw.) Judi Stewart explained hw the Bluewater CVB has grwn its budget frm $50,000 t 500,000 thrugh partnerships with nine cmmunities and Travel Michigan. Marketing effrts include a website, vides, print ads in the phne bk, visitrs guide with cupns, a rtating billbard and small prducts t enhance visibility like buttns and bags. Trying t raise prfile internally and utside f the regin. Opprtunity t list businesses and events in regin. Rita suggested buying Discver the Blue web addresses and redirecting traffic t the Bluewater.rg website.

3 IV. Thumb Area Turism Cuncil (Slides nline, a few highlights and cmments belw.) Chuck Frst and Kris McArdle intrduced us t the Thumb Area Turism Cuncil an assciatin f businesses in Tuscla, Sanilac and Hurn cunty. The cuncil is a nn-prfit that is supprted by business and cmmunities that take advantage f their cmprehensive website. The website includes vides, special events and lcal stries fr the media. The cuncil culd serve as a leader and crdinatr fr ther marketing effrts in the regin. Several grant funded prjects t help small businesses create simple webpages. Wrks t partner with lcal students and prfessinals fr all technical wrk. V. Ideas Generated thrughut Wrkshp What s wrking? Thumb Area des festivals and special events really well, e.g., cheeseburger festival, antique bat shw, sea kayak sympsium. Many f the visitrs wh stay vernight in the regin cme because f festivals. Many f the visitrs are unencumbered adults and many enjy nightlife in the area. Take advantage f gegraphy. Thumb Area is clse t Michigan cities less driving means mre relaxing. The Clse Up Nrth. The first peninsula. Great Farmers Markets in area, which capitalizes n extensive farming in area. Lcal fd, ag turism and culinary travel is grwing in MI. Ppular farm tur in St. Clair cunty. Area is uncngested even n summer weekends. Picturesque, rural scenery. Able t find Quiet, Quaint and Quality (Prt Sanilac mtt). Challenges Many visitrs and secnd hme wners used t cme frm Detrit Area. Dwn turn in aut industry has hurt the Thumb. Cmpetitin amng twns and cunties hinders a crdinated marketing effrt. Businesses clse early even during festivals, s there s less reasn fr visitrs t spend the night. Farming is the primary industry in the area and turism is seen as less imprtant. Gene pinted ut that we are prud f ur lng castline, but we dn t invest in prtectin and park enhancements. Ideas fr imprvement Fcus n festivals/events Can special events be expanded, crdinated r better prmted? Reginal r multi-site, prgressive events? Is it wrth adding activities fr kids?

4 Think creatively abut getting peple t stay vernight----add firewrks fr late night shws r early mrning events like sunrises, early breakfasts, early mrning beach walks, wildlife viewing, church, parades, etc Summer Camps Hw can cmmunities encurage families t d mre than just drp ff/pick up and head hme? New Challenges (e.g., rpes curse) Cuples escapes fr parents after drpping the kids ff Restaurant cupns, family itineraries Plan parent prgrams the evening befre the last day f camp Invest in castal areas and recreatin pprtunities Imprve parks and public spaces Prtect natural areas and clean water Partner with existing reginal systems (e.g., statewide bike trails) Cnsider creating linkages between marinas, water trails and bike trails kayak ne way, bike hme, r adventure triathalns. Market t new gegraphies such as Lansing and Grand Rapids. Cntinue marketing t Canada and Ohi. Intra (and inter) cmmunity cmmunicatin Internal marketing/prmtin Wrk with businesses t create the right atmsphere (e.g., evening stre hurs dwntwn during special events) Raise awareness amng residents and businesses f special events and activities s residents will bring their ut f twn guests. Hw t advertise t secnd hme wners? Encurage residents t embrace turists Create a turist in yur wn twn prgram Fster Crss Prmtin. Cllabrate amng cmmunities t establish a reginal destinatin Wrd f Muth prmtin cntinues t be very imprtant. Tell yur stry Need t generate publicity thrugh all types f media, utdr magazines, newspapers, niche blgs and industry events. Public relatins effrts Make media s jb easier by prviding phts, stries and cntacts Electrnic press releases Try t get a better presence fr the Thumb in radside Welcme Centers. Grup brchures under sign fr Thumb Area. Need t encurage Thumb businesses and event planners t embrace the web (and scial media) Tap int yunger peple (grandchildren, nieces nephews, students etc.) Experiment with Scial Media (Facebk, Yu Tube, Twitter, etc.) Audit reginal marketing websites (Thumb Turism, Bluewater CVB, Pure Michigan) Ensure lcal turism businesses are present Encurage lcal turism businesses t link t each ther Prmte buying lcal use lcal vendrs fr web, business and fd services. Lcal and fresh fds

5 Lcal fd prcessing (Cheese, wine, etc.) Lcal fds in restaurants and farmers markets Farm t farm turs Supprt cmmercial fishing in Bay Prt - walleye, yellw perch, catfish Learn frm ther areas that have expanded turism and preserved quiet, quaint character, such as Dunedin, Flrida. Start with lw hanging fruit (cheap and easy effrts discussed tday) flyers at MDOT, site page n Pure Michigan, use reginal marketing rganizatins (Thumb Area, Bluewater).

NORTH COAST TOURISM STUDIO CANNON BEACH, ORE.

NORTH COAST TOURISM STUDIO CANNON BEACH, ORE. NORTH COAST TOURISM STUDIO 11.14.18 CANNON BEACH, ORE. ADVENTURE TRAVEL & OUTDOOR RECREATION Wrkshp Ntes FUTURE STATE ACTIVITY: If yur regin were n par with wrld-class adventure travel destinatins, what