May 2017 Issue:2 In This Issue Welcome New Members Seems like we awoke one day to Spring in full bloom. The summer season is right around the corner and the LRTA is gearing up to welcome visitors. Our 2017 publications, the Where To! Guide and Map & Guide, are being distributed to you, our members, as well as at all of the state welcome centers and in brochure racks. What is the LRTA Doing for You Industry News & Events Member News National News Signature Sponsors Do you golf? Then mark your calendar to join us for a fun day of golf, great food and prizes! Lakes Region Tourism Association's 13th Annual Hospitality Golf Tournament, will be Wednesday, July 12th at Lochmere Golf and Country Club in Tilton.. Click hereto download registration info and more! In other news, we are distributing the 2017 Lakes Region Map & Guide direct to households through the Boston Globe, Portland Phoenix, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, Baltimore Sun and Philadelphia Inquirer. Our spring ad campaign is in full swing with print ads running in Better Homes & Gardens, Family Fun and The Providence Journal. Digital Campaigns with Hearst Media, Boston.com, Visit New England and Yankee Magazine and billboard advertising in the Hartford market. We have just completed our final domestic tradeshow for the season in the Hartford market which was very well attended. We are continuing to enhance our online social and PR marketing campaigns. Be sure to send us your updated materials for display at
our Visitor Information Centers in Tilton and Alton. Brochures may be delivered to our Tilton location - we suggest 200 to start and will reach out for additional quantities as needed. The LRTA is working with members to host Travel Writers, Bloggers and Tour operators in the region. Kim Sperry attended a sales mission and luncheon with key Japanese operators in New York City this week and Amy Landers is preparing to attend International Pow Wow in Washington DC later this month. We always like to hear from our members. Please email us with your specials, packages and events.. LRTA Staff Sport event organizing and management. Join us August 12-13, 2017 for the City on the Lakes Tri Festival replacing the Timberman Triathlon in New Hampshire at Opechee Park, Laconia, NH. Sprint and Half-Iron distances in and around Laconia, the City on the Lake. Aquabike athletes and Relay Teams are welcome. USAT Sanctioned. Join us September 23 & 24, 2017 for the Lakes Region Tri Festival at Newfound Lake. Sprint and Olympic distances around beautiful Newfound Lake and through pastoral New Hampshire. Aquabike athletes and Relay Teams are welcome. USAT Sanctioned. 1200 Cherry Valley Road Gilford, New Hampshire 03249 603-387-4534 http://www.tritaniumsports.com/ info@tritaniumsports.com We are distributing the Lakes Region Map & Guide direct to household through the Boston Globe, Portland Phoenix, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, Baltimore Sun and Philadelphia Inquirer.
Our spring ad campaign is in full swing with print ads running in Better Homes & Gardens, Family Fun and The Providence Journal. Digital Campaigns with Hearst Media, Boston.com, Visit New England and Yankee Magazine and billboard advertising in the Hartford market. We have just completed our final domestic tradeshow for the season in the Hartford market which was very well attended. We are continuing to enhance our online social and PR marketing campaigns. Be sure to send us your updated materials for display at our Visitor Information Centers in Tilton and Alton. Brochures may be delivered to our Tilton location - we suggest 200 to start and will reach out for additional quantities as needed. The LRTA is working with members to host Travel Writers, Bloggers and Tour operators in the region. Kim Sperry attended a sales mission and luncheon with key Japanese operators in New York City this week and Amy Landers is preparing to attend International Pow Wow in Washington DC later this month. Following the DNE Summit the LRTA arranged to have 5 Key Japanese Tour operators tour the region April 26 & 27th. Sperry joined NH and MA representatives to meet with key Japanese operators in New York May 9 & 10. LRTA was represented at the Day Trips and Destination Travel Expo Saturday May 6th. Advertorial E-Blasts - LRTA is running advertorial Email Blasts with Visit New England, Yankee Magazine and the Boston Globe targeting Digital Marketing campaigns with Boston.com, Hearst and Comcast Media Billboards in the Hartford Market Providence Journal Summer Fun Issue Vacation FUN.Com - Lead Generation Campaign
We have begun distribution of our 2017/2018 publications. The Where To Guide and Map & Guide distribution at all of the State Welcome Centers, member locations and statewide will be completed within the next several weeks. Direct To Household distribution of our Map & Guide through the Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, Providence Journal, Baltimore Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer and Portland Phoenix will be completed this month and our distribution with CTM out of state has begun as well. courtesy NHBR People in the state's tourism industry are still talking about how New Hampshire's exhibit wowed visitors at the Boston.com Ski & Snowboard Expo last November. "Victoria [Cimino, director of the state's Division of Travel and Tourism Development,] and her team set up a lodge-like feel, and, from what I heard from lots of people, it was the star of the show," said Rusty McLear, co-owner and president of Mill Falls at the Lake in Meredith. "I've heard about it all year." Sophia Cigliano, group account director with GYK Antler, sits in a bus bench in Boston designed like a ski lift. "We were thrilled to see the big exposure at the Boston ski show," said Ben Wilcox, general manager at Cranmore Mountain Resort and chair of Ski NH. "Vermont and Maine were in the corners saying 'How do we step it up?'" And the division didn't stop there. In downtown Boston, food trucks wrapped in advertisements touting New Hampshire skiing distributed free
cookies with information about the conditions. A bus stop in Boston was transformed into a ski lift. Massachusetts residents using Snapchat were able to see two filters with New Hampshire scenery. Television ads aired in Montreal and Toronto. And Visit NH digital ads were targeted to all three cities, as well as New York. In the two years that Cimino has led the tourism division, a plethora of creative marketing efforts have breathed new life into New Hampshire's brand as a vacation destination, and that presence has paid off. With some help from timely winter storms, Ski NH's 34 ski area members reported visits for the 2016-17 season were up 31 percent from the prior year. "The late season snowstorms even allowed some resorts that typically close early to extend their season by a week or two," says Karolyn Castaldo, communications and marketing manager for Ski NH. Click here for full story An I-9 audit can be an intimidating event, and if you haven't properly completed or maintained your I-9s, it can also be a costly one In this webinar, we'll cover pertinent filing and retention requirements for the I-9. We'll review the various sections of the form in-depth and discuss the acceptable documents for completion of the I-9. By the end of the session, you'll feel more prepared and ready to verify that your organization is in compliance. Date: Thursday, May 25, 2017 Time: 2:00-2:30pm EDT When registering for the session, please ensure that you put our full company name in the registration field that reads, "Please provide the name of the company that referred you to this webinar." This webinar is being hosted by Monica Weimar of HRAnswerLink. Monica has held roles as an HR Generalist and Payroll and Benefits manager at a large ski resort, providing HR guidance to more than 500 employees. Don't miss this valuable webinar. Register today! Checkmate Payroll Workforce Management Solutions, Building 3, 287 S Main St, Concord, NH 03301 The 2017 Lakes Congress, brought to you by Grappone Automotive Group, and hosted by NH LAKES, will be held on Thursday, June 1, and Friday,
June 2, along the beautiful shores of Meredith Bay, Lake Winnipesaukee. The 24th annual education, training, and networking event, will feature guest presenter Ron Guilmette, avid kayaker and author of The Islands of Winnipesaukee on the evening of Thursday, June 1, and keynote presenter Dr. Wallace 'J.' Nichols, author of New York Times Bestseller Blue Mind, on Friday, June 2. This event is designed for lake enthusiasts, lake/natural resource stewards and managers, lake-related business leaders, and municipal and political leaders to exchange information, ideas and experiences, and introduce new approaches to help manage and protect our lakes. The Travel Experience Fun Together We Make At CTM Media Group, tourism runs in their DNA. Through a network of information displays and digital touch screens, CTM assists over 3,000 businesses and 100 CVB and DMO organizations connect with visitors seeking new experiences. This week, travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to celebrate the unique value travel holds for our economy, businesses and personal well-being. Explore this informative video below and info-graphic filled with the latest brochure research.
Download the flyer here Sunday, May 14th at 2:00pm Join Curator, Nancy Jo Chabot and guest Curator Lynn Murphy in a contemporary art gallery to present "Persistence of Identity." Lynn Murphy is Vermont Abenaki, wife, mother, grandmother, and middle-school science teacher. She grew up in a multi-generational household, and her grandmother lived with her family for many years. Lynn's grandmother taught her bead work when Lynn was young. Lynn has spent years rediscovering the crafts of her people.
Featured in the exhibit are ash split and sweetgrass baskets made by Lynn's great-grandmother, Mary Watso Sadoques. Lynn reclaimed this art by learning to be a basket maker. "Persistence of Identity" focuses on cultural identification by describing the journey of Lynn's culture as seen through the lens of her family memories. For more information: 603-456-2600 info@indianmuseum.org Sunday, May 14th at 2:00pm The focus will be on Native American participation during the Great War showcasing indigenous involvements within the field of nursing, sharpshooting and the efforts of the Choctaw Code Talkers who aided the United States and Canadian armies during key campaigns of the war. For more information: 603-456-2600 info@indianmuseum.org Saturday, June 17th at 7:00pm A special lecture with John Brannon, Jr. about the story of the American Indian experience in World War I. Join John Brannon as he discusses the accomplishments of Native peoples during the time of the Great War. This lecture is free, thanks to support from "Over There, Over Here" and New Hampshire Humanities. Light refreshments will be served. Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, 18 Highlawn Rd., Warner, NH This six-hour Safe Driving Program developed by AARP is a classroom refresher course to ensure drivers age 50 and older stay safe behind the wheel. It is scheduled for Thursday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Taylor Community's Woodside Building. Lunch in the Woodside Café will be available. The course fee is $15 for AARP members who show their membership and $20 for all others. Space is limited. To register,
contact Brenda Kean at 366-1226. Upon successful completion of the course, participants may be eligible for a discount on their automobile insurance. Attendees should check with their individual insurance providers for more information. Taylor Community is a not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community whose mission is to provide the highest quality of retirement living options to support the independence, health and dignity of community residents. For more information, visit www.taylorcommunity.org. The 2017 season at the New Hampshire Boat Museum will be filled with plenty of new and exciting exhibits and activities. Here are some of the highlights of the exhibits that will be on display through October 9th. The Museum has organized a number of exhibits that explore the world of boating and life on New Hampshire's lakes. The featured exhibit, "Big Dreams, Little Boats Mid-Century Model Toy Boats," looks back to a time when young boys collected and played with model toy boats and dreamed of growing up to own a full-size boat. The exhibit features model boats from the collection of Fred Clausen. The boats range in date from the mid-1950s through the 1970s, the heyday of toy boat production. The New Hampshire Boat Museum's newly acquired rare 1929 Chris Craft Limousine Sedan will be on exhibit. This season's big event is the biennial Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta held September 15-16 on Wolfeboro Bay. The Boat Museum has fun programs for kids of all ages, from 5 to 100. Do you want to build your own boat? You can do that in our boat building programs. The Museum offers two sessions. The first is for adults and families in July and the other for youth over 12 in early August.
And for your kids or grandkids, don't forget the Museum's fun and active Lake Discovery Camp in late July. Do you want to have your own boat? Then come to the Museum's annual vintage boat auction on July 15th. The 10th Biennial Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta will be a spectacle you won't want to miss. It will take place Friday and Saturday, September 15-16 at the Wolfeboro Town Docks. To see the full schedule of events or to learn more about the New Hampshire Boat Museum, please visit the Museum's website. The New Hampshire Boat Museum is open to the public for the 2017 season from Saturday, May 27 and will remain open daily through Monday, October 9, 10am-4pm Monday through Saturday, and Sunday 12 noon-4pm. It is located at 399 Center Street, Wolfeboro Falls, 2 miles from downtown Wolfeboro in the former Allen "A" Resort dance hall/theater building. For further information contact the Museum at 603-569-4554, museum@nhbm.org
The "weekends only" portion of the 2017 season kicks off May 27, 28 & 29 (Memorial Day Weekend) at all three of our locations:
Lincoln, Meredith & Weirs Beach. With the start of "daily operations" at all three locations on Friday, June 23, 2017. 2017 celebrates 30 continuous years of operation for the Clark family at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH! Needless to say, a celebration is being planned to mark the big occasion. Stay tuned for all the details, as you'll certainly be invited! Veterans Ride Free Memorial Day Weekend Opening Weekend - May 27-29, 2017 Extending a well-deserved THANK YOU to all active duty, retired and honorably discharged military Veterans by providing each Veteran with a complimentary ticket to enjoy a round-trip ride aboard our restored vintage coaches during the 3-day holiday weekend! Memorial Day Weekend Train Schedule - May 27, 28 & 29, 2017 Hobo Railroad - Lincoln, NH (one hour twenty minute rides) - Station opens at 10:00am - Saturday: 11:00am, 1:00pm & 3:00pm - Sunday: 11:00am, 1:00pm & 3:00pm - Monday: 11:00am & 1:00pm Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad - Meredith, NH (2-hour rides) - Station opens at 9:30am - Saturday: 10:30am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm - Sunday: 10:30am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm - Monday: 10:30am & 12:30pm Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad - Weirs Beach, NH (1-hour rides) - Station opens at 10:00am - Saturday: 11:00am, 12:00pm 1:00pm, 2:00pm & 3:00pm - Sunday: 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm & 3:00pm - Monday: 11:00am, 12:00pm & 1:00pm As ice-out is declared at ponds and lakes throughout our region, rates are melting too. Enjoy exploring the easier hiking trails, the Franconia Notch recreation path with views of the Basin, Echo Lake and Cannon Mountain, or take a ride up the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Another great option in early spring is the Ultimate
NH Waterfall Trip. The Flume Gorge will be opening May 5th too. Planning your Summer Stay? Whether you're planning to hike the 4,000 footers or just play in the White Mountain National Forest and its many opportunities for summer activities, golf, theater and arts or restaurants, we have something for you! Perhaps some of these events will draw you! June 17 - MINIs on Top at Loon Mountain June 10-18 - Laconia Motorcycle Week June 24 - New England Brewfest July 2 - Loon Mountain Race July 16 - Touch a Truck at Loon Mountain August 6 - Touch a Truck at Loon Mountain August 18-20 - White Mountain Boogie and Blues Fest August 27 - Touch a Truck at Loon Mountain September 4 - Rubber Ducky Regatta September 15-17 - New Hampshire Highland Games October 7-8 - White Mountain Oktoberfest Loon Reservation Service 264 Main Street #12, PO Box 785 Lincoln E-mail: info@loonres.com (800) 745-5666 (LOON) The warm weather is here and the patios are open! The following locations have outdoor dining: T-BONES * Bedford * Derry * Hudson * Laconia Cactus Jack's * Manchester Customize your menu or choose from one of the most popular
packages. * Tips & Chicken * Ribs & Chicken * Big Boy BBQ Offering full on site catering as well as drop off! Contact Megan TODAY for your customized quote. Megan Fournier (603) 488-2828 or Megan.Fournier@GreatNHRestaurants.com IMPORTANT! ONCE CLICKED, THIS COUPON CANNOT BE OPENED AGAIN. ONLY OPEN OFFER WHEN YOU'RE READY TO PRINT OR USE. 2 Ways To Redeem 1. Show Coupon on Phone 2. Print & Bring in Coupon I'M READY Paying it Forward at T-BONES, Cactus Jack's, and Copper Door and Random Acts of Kindness have always been part of the company's culture. In 2015 they decided to bring love of these random acts up another notch... and have been surprising guests with free desserts, free appetizers, free meals and other cool surprises at all our locations almost daily! It does not stop there; each recipient is then given a $25 Pay It Forward dining certificate to present to a random person to keep the momentum going. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement after both the House and Senate passed an omnibus bill to fund the government through September 2017: "The travel industry thanks congressional appropriations leaders for their bipartisan cooperation on this budget deal, and all lawmakers who voted to avert the threat of a government shutdown. We are particularly
pleased that the deal funds important security and travel facilitation programs. "Keeping travelers moving to and within the U.S. is vital to our nation's economic health. Unnecessarily cutting or disrupting the operations of agencies like the FAA, CBP and TSA would place considerable strain on travelers, stymie national security efforts and cost our country billions in lost travel revenue. "This spending bill provides significant funding to address a number of our industry's most pressing policy priorities. It creates a $75 million emergency fund to address emerging global health threats like Ebola and Zika. It will accelerate the hiring of front-line CBP inspectors, in order keep wait times at our ports of entry manageable, and directs new funds to the Visa Security Program, which will aid in the efficient processing of visa applications. It devotes new resources to help identify the small fraction of travelers who overstay their visas, invests $1 billion in air traffic control updates, and allots funding for continued TSA modernization, including $23 million to expand canine detection programs at domestic airports. "Notably, we are grateful that this deal rejects a proposed TSA fee increase on travelers, in light of the continued diversion of passenger TSA fees away from security purposes. "It is imperative that our government pays adequate attention to ensuring a secure, welcoming travel experience for all legitimate visitors to our country. We thank lawmakers for passing this spending bill, and urge them to continue investing in travel infrastructure, facilitation programs and security." Courtesy www.ustravel.org Lakes Region Tourism Association of NH, PO Box 737, Tilton, NH 03276