Canadian Family Magazine checks out Michigan Soo

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

************************* Travel Michigan showcases EUP to national travel writers

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Two dozen travel writers and magazine contributors enjoyed five activity-packed days in the Sault Ste. Marie area last week, thanks to Travel Michigan, the Sault Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), and a variety of local businesses all eager to showcase the Eastern U.P. as a desirable travel destination.

They came from as far away as California and were interested in topics as diverse as motorcycling, kayaking, family travel and camping.

All total, these writers contribute to as many as 75 media outlets across the United States and Canada and for the better part of the week, their laptop computers, cameras, and pencils took aim at the EUP.

George Zimmermann, vice president for Travel Michigan at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said familiarization tours like this one yield stories for years to come.

“We show them the great things to see and do and then send them home to write stories. With publication schedules at various magazines and publications, some of these stories may appear in the coming months or as late as 2011.”

Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault CVB, was thrilled to host the largest gathering of writers in her seven-year tenure with the bureau.

“We have never had this great of an opportunity before,” she remarked. “The response from the writers was fantastic. With the cooperation and generosity of local attractions and businesses, we were able to put our best foot forward and show them the variety that exists both here and within an easy drive of the Soo,” Hoath said.

For Zimmermann, timing is everything. Interest from national publications comes on the heels of the state’s first national advertising campaign – Pure Michigan.

“Millions of Americans were exposed to the Pure Michigan message this year, so having articles appear over the coming months continues that momentum. It is a truism in tourism that advertising is great, but having stories written about a destination is sometimes seen as more credible. Now we will have covered both bases – editorial content and advertising,” Zimmermann explained.

If the immediate feedback is any indication, Zimmermann and Hoath both anticipate very positive stories about the region.

“Writers who aren’t from the Midwest and haven’t visited the Great Lakes region were surprised by how much we have to offer. The common comment is ‘I had no idea’ and they realize that we have a beautiful, diverse state,” the Travel Michigan executive said.

If history is any guide, Zimmermann expects that a high percentage of the writers will author stories about the region.

Tim Johnson, a contributing editor with Canadian Family Magazine, was visiting from Toronto, where he writes for the publication’s nearly one million readers.

“I like to try something different and see new places. I think that Canadians often think about different places but maybe not the Upper Peninsula right off hand. For a family that wants to try something new, this is perfect. It’s outdoor adventure not too far from home. Even our readers from as far as British Columbia or Newfoundland would enjoy a trip here as well,” the writer said.

Johnson had many highlights during his trip. From kayaking around the Les Cheneaux islands to fly fishing with a local guide, he reported a busy, successful stay. “I’ve found the amenities to be excellent and it has been a great trip to showcase the area,” he added.

Making people like Johnson feel welcome fell in large part to local restaurants, outfitters, hotels, and attractions.

Nearly every part of the tour was accomplished via donations by the businesses that hosted visitors.

Zimmermann and his team planned a very diverse itinerary that put special focus on matching the writer to the activity about which they expressed an interest.

When he’s not entertaining writers, Zimmermann is focused intently on the future of the Pure Michigan campaign, especially in light of the state’s current budget crisis.

Asked for his prediction in regard to the advertising campaign, he says he is “cautiously optimistic” – in part because Pure Michigan has provided tangible results.

“We’ve been studying it for five years and for every dollar we spend on out-of-state advertising, there’s been enough new travel to create about $40 in new spending at Michigan businesses and put $2.86 back into the state treasury. I’m optimistic because I think policymakers are beginning to understand the impact of national advertising and nobody will want to stop that momentum,” Zimmermann said.

On the local level, the travel exec recommended continued collaboration between individual businesses and the Sault CVB.

“I can’t think of another bureau that has embraced Pure Michigan more than the Sault CVB,” he remarked. “I would encourage the tourism industry in this community to work with Linda, embrace Pure Michigan, and remind your legislators of the importance of Pure Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie.”

PHOTO CAPTIONL A dozen travel writers took in the sights, sounds and shopping of the Eastern U.P. last week. Travel Michigan executive George Zimmermann (2nd from right) joined the group at Creekside Herbs in Cedarville - one of the many stops during the group's five-day stay.

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