Tag Archives: Experience Grand Rapids

Experience Grand Rapids provides free postcards to encourage travel

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By Adrienne Brown-Reasner
West Michigan Tourist Association

Experience Grand Rapids recently launched Postcards from Grand Rapids, a campaign encouraging residents to invite friends and family to visit West Michigan. Starting Sept. 2 through Oct. 31, community members can send free, personalized postcards in the mail through Experience Grand Rapids’ website. Participants will be eligible to enter to win overnight stays at partnering hotels.

“Nearly 50% of travelers who come to the area are visiting friends and family,” says Kate Lieto, Director of Marketing for Experience Grand Rapids. “West Michigan continues to be an ideal travel destination, and now we’re calling on locals to invite their loved ones and to help boost our local economy,” says Lieto.

HOW IT WORKS
To send a free postcard, visit PostcardsFromGR.com and choose one of three designs. Write a personalized message, enter the recipient’s mailing address, and Experience Grand Rapids will handle the printing and postage. The postcards come in  three designs to highlight some of Kent County’s most popular activities:
● Beer City: Breweries are a tourism staple, with 15% of travelers reporting it as an activity they do while in town. This number is more than double the national average of 6%.
● Beaches and parks: Outdoor recreation is a significant attraction to the region, with 12% of travelers visiting beaches and 11% visiting national and state parks.
● Tours and experiences: Friends and family are some of the best tour guides, and 7% of visitors report enjoying the area’s tours and experiences.


Experience Grand Rapids has partnered with area hotels to offer overnight giveaways. Participants will be eligible to enter to win free hotel overnight accommodations.

For more information on Postcards From Grand Rapids and to send a personalized postcard, visit PostcardsFromGR.com.

Experience Grand Rapids announces economic impact of beer tourism has tripled

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A recent study shows that the economic impact from the beer tour industry has more than tripled since 2015.

By Stephanie Bradley
Experience Grand Rapids

Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR), the area’s official destination marketing organization, has released an updated study, The Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County (2019) which says that the economic impact more than tripled from $12.23 million to $38.5 million since 2015.

In 2015, EXGR commissioned the first Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County, Michigan. This year, EXGR hired Anderson Economic Group to conduct the study. The methodology remained similar to the 2015 study to provide comparable results such as the same questionnaire and random survey sampling. Beer tourists were defined as those respondents who said that craft beer was the primary reason for their visit and who either live outside of West Michigan or live in West Michigan but were choosing to stay at a local hotel/motel for the night.

“In 2015, we discovered a measurable outcome of beer tourism in our region,” explained Kate Lieto, Director of Marketing at EXGR. “We have since invested in promotions like the Beer City Brewsader® Passport and mobile app as well as Beer Month GR. We are thrilled that the recent study’s results have proven these efforts are attracting tourists.”

Key outcomes from The Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County include:

  • Economic impact tripled from $12.23 million to $38.5 million
  • The numerous breweries in Grand Rapids and Kent County are popular tourist attractions, attracting over 94,000 beer tourists in the study year.
  • During the study year, beer tourists spent $23.9 million in Kent County on craft beer, accommodations, food, transportation, and other spending.
  • This spending by beer tourists generated a net new economic impact of $38.5 million in Kent County during the study year.
  • 25.3% of beer tourists came from outside of Michigan.
  • 40% of beer tourists stayed in a hotel/motel in the Grand Rapids area.
  • Beer tourists supported 378 jobs and $9.9 million in earnings in the county, which is an increase from 2015 study that showed 171 jobs and $3.3 million in earnings were supported in the county.



Breweries consider EXGR to be a key driver of beer tourism in Kent County.

“The idea of ‘Beer City USA’ didn’t just happen overnight,” said Max Trierweiler, Owner of The Mitten Brewing Co. “Experience Grand Rapids has helped take an idea that there was great beer being brewed in GR and made it into a movement. First, they helped push for the literal recognition which came from Examiner.com and then they nurtured it by creating promotions like the Beer City Ale Trail, Beer Month GR and the Brewsader Passport program.”

Alongside marketing efforts, Experience Grand Rapids has utilized its brewery partners to help with convention promotion.

“It’s been a pleasure exhibiting with the EXGR sales team at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) over the years,” said Dave Engbers, Co-Founder of Founders Brewing Co. “I’ve watched firsthand how the association executives from all over the US have positively responded to Grand Rapids as a craft beer destination. The way EXGR has embraced ‘Beer City’ in all aspects of their work, from leisure travel to convention business, is definitely something we commend and will continue to be a part of in the future.”

Additionally, hotels have embraced the moniker of ‘Beer City’.

“We’re excited to greet visitors to the Country Inn & Suites East Beltline that are here to explore the beer scene,” said Ed Wilson, General Manager of the Country Inn & Suites East Beltline. “We applaud the efforts Experience Grand Rapids has put towards ‘Beer City’, and we do our best to align with them such as selling Beer City merchandise at the front desk and offering a Beer City Ale Trail to guests.”

Overall, this study reinforces the idea that craft beer is an economic driver as well as a reason people view Grand Rapids as a destination they want to visit.

For more information on how to plan your craft beer adventure in Grand Rapids, visit: https://www.experiencegr.com/things-to-do/beer-city/

More information on The Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County, Michigan study visit: www.experiencegr.com/beer-report

Experience Grand Rapids invites locals to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Recreation, Travel,

By Stephanie Kotschevar, Experience Grand Rapids


Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR) invites locals to explore the Grand Rapids area during National Travel and Tourism Week from now through the 11th using EXGR resources such as Culture Pass GR and Vamonde. National Travel and Tourism Week is an annual event in the travel community put on by the U.S. Travel Association.


“National Travel and Tourism Week is when travel and tourism professionals across the country celebrate the value travel holds for the economy, businesses and personal well-being,” said Doug Small, CEO and President at Experience Grand Rapids. “During this week, we want to encourage locals to invite their family and friends to come and explore all the fun things Grand Rapids and Kent County has to offer. We also want to better educate people about the resources we have available.”


Destination marketing organizations (DMO) like EXGR have a few roles, one of them is to assist visitors, whether they are in town for leisure, convention or business travel, by providing helpful information about the area. EXGR does this through a variety of channels such as their website, social media and blogs.


For 2019, EXGR is promoting two newer initiatives to get locals out and about with their out-of-town friends and family:


Vamonde:


Vamonde is a national adventure app built for city and cultural discovery that guides visitors to the sights and stories that make travel memorable. EXGR has contributed several adventures such as Art Around the Corner, Grand Rapids Brunch Spots, Mountain Biking in GR, and more. The app is available in the Apple Store, Google Play and on desktop.


Culture Pass GR:


Culture Pass GR is a three-day pass to seven downtown cultural attractions that costs $24. The seven attractions include: Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids Public Museum, John Ball Zoo and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. The pass also includes additional offers and discounts to several arts and culture organizations such as Broadway Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park, and Opera Grand Rapids.

Courtesy Opera Grand Rapids

EXGR will also be promoting different city highlights throughout the week on social media. Follow the channels for information on activities in outdoor recreation, arts and culture, music, food, craft beverages and more.


“This week also allows us to highlight the importance of travel and tourism to our local economy,” explained Small. “According to the findings from Longwoods International, visitor spending in Kent County generates over $1.3 billion. These dollars help build the tax base and go back into the businesses and resources, such as our hotels, restaurants, parks and trails, cultural attractions and more. Spending by visitors also supports local businesses, provides jobs for over 30,000 people and contributes to making life better for our community.”


To learn more about Vamonde, go here.


To purchase a Culture Pass GR, go here.



New summer project launched to encourage Grand Rapids youth to collaborate on solving community issues

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A local radio group is teaming up with local organizations and businesses to provide Grand Rapids area students with funding, resources and mentors to implement the change they want to see in their community.
The #GRSummerProject is open to area students from sixth grade to college freshmen. The project is a collaboration led by Townsquare Media and includes the support of Level One Bank, Start Garden, Experience Grand Rapids, Amplify GR and Grand Rapids area schools.
Participating students will be required to sign a “pledge” to be committed to identifying challenges and developing solutions to issues in their neighborhoods. Students will be placed in teams with assigned coaches and will receive $1,049.00 to address their specific community issue. Teams will be responsible for sharing their progress via blogs, video and updates through radio and social media with the help of Townsquare Media’s urban contemporary station, Magic 104.9.
“The students will have from June 12 through August 3 to develop ideas that will bring about the change they want to see in their neighborhoods and community,” said Stephanie Gonda, general sales manager of Townsquare Media. “We have a great community but connecting students with mentors and coaches gives community and business professionals a fresh perspective on how to make our city even better, so everyone wins.”
An end of summer concert will bring all the teams together to celebrate and share their team’s accomplishments with the entire community. An August date for the concert is being planned.
#GRSummerProject is also giving musicians, from sixth grade through college freshmen, the opportunity to submit original music for a chance to win a $2,500 cash award and the opportunity to perform at the end of summer celebration. The winning musician(s) will also be featured on Magic 104.9 radio.
More information on the #GRSummerProject, taking the “pledge” and entering the music competition can be found at mymagicgr.com or at grsummerproject.org. Sponsors and coaches are still being accepted. Organizations, or individuals who wish to join the mission, are encouraged to reach out to stephanie@Grsummerproject.org. The deadline to register is June 3.

Experience Grand Rapids launches Bike App in partnership with My City Bikes

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Experience Grand Rapids, in partnership with My City Bikes, has launched an app to help visitors access the city’s best local attractions and nearby communities on two wheels.

 

The new bike amenities include a comprehensive bike map with local road, recreational, and mountain biking opportunities, plus two self-guided bicycle day tours. Local bike maps and self-guided tours are available online at www.experiencegr.com/biking or in the free My City Bikes Grand Rapids mobile app.

 

Recommendations from the Destination Asset Study released in December 2016 showed that Grand Rapids has an opportunity to leverage outdoor recreation to increase travel to the area. Due to these findings, Experience Grand Rapids wanted to further promote and organize the biking scene which led to the partnership with My City Bikes and the development of two self-guided bicycle day tours.

 

Self-Guided Tour: West Side to Uptown Day Tour The “West Side to Uptown” Day Tour is a 9-mile loop that starts and finishes at John Ball Zoo. The day tour features a beginner-friendly route with destinations including the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, Rosa Parks Circle, Donkey Taqueria, New Holland Knickerbocker and more.

 

Self-Guided Tour: Stops Along the White Pine Trail The “Stops Along the White Pine Trail” Day Tour is a build your own adventure along Michigan’s second longest rail-trail. Beginning in Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, users can make the 6-mile round trip ride to Comstock Park, the 21-mile round trip ride to Rockford, or the 35-mile round trip adventure to Cedar Springs. The tour features highlights like Elk Brewing and the Rockford Dam Overlook at every stop along the way.

 

The self-guided bicycle tours and interactive Kent County bike map developed through a partnership between Experience Grand Rapids and global beginner biking specialists My City Bikes provide visitors with a bicycling adventure to enjoy at their own pace. Simply follow the turn-by-turn directions to pedal to historic places, delectable local flavors, and entertaining attractions for a quintessential Grand Rapids experience.

 

As with any bicycling adventure, safety should always come first. When riding a bicycle, always wear a helmet and use bike lights. Obey traffic signals and stop signs just as a car would, and stop at all intersections when on a shared-use path. Use hand signals like indicators to tell traffic when turning left or right. Use a bike lock to secure the bike to a rack when stopping at local attractions. For more information about bicycle safety, visit http://grdrivingchange.org.

 

For more information about the bike tours, visit https://www.experiencegr.com/biking.

2016 was a record year for Grand Rapids Area Convention and Tourism Business

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The reopening of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum with new interactive exhibits is one reason tourism is up in 2016.

Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR), the area’s official destination marketing organization, has announced that 2016 was another record-breaking year for area hotel room revenue. From 2015 to 2016 hotel business increased 8.7 percent exceeding growth for both Michigan’s and the United States’ hotel room revenue gains of 4.8 percent and 6.8 percent respectively.
“For the seventh consecutive year Kent County hotel room revenue has grown over the prior year,” said Doug Small, President and CEO of Experience Grand Rapids. “Hotel room revenue is a key metric for measuring tourism activity because it is affected by leisure tourism, strong convention attendance, the area’s growing business economy, and the increasing number of sports related events.”

 

 

Thanks to the efforts of EXGR’s partners at the West Michigan Sports Commission, the Grand Rapids area has grown as a sport destination. Among more than 80 events on the calendar; 2017 brings USA Cycling’s Fat Bike Nationals in January (a first for Michigan), the 2017 International Softball Congress Men’s World Tournament and PDGA Masters World Championships in August (both new to Grand Rapids), and the USA Weightlifting American Open Series in September.

 

 

Grand Rapids’ overall growth as a leisure destination is effected by the rise of the music scene, the continuously expanding craft beer scene, and updates to popular attractions. In 2016, Van Andel Arena had one of its strongest lineups to date with Garth Brooks’ record for most tickets sold for a single engagement and Paul McCartney’s record for gross ticket sales for a single event. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum also re-opened in 2016 with a new interactive exhibit and expansion for education.

 

“Grand Rapids continues to gain in popularity as a travel destination,” said Janet Korn, Senior Vice President, Experience Grand Rapids. “Allocates like the ‘New York Times: 52 Places to go in 2016’ combined with effective destination marketing led by Experience Grand Rapids focused on the brand assets of art and culture, food and craft beer, family friendly and more recently music and outdoor recreation work in tandem to inspire travel to the area.”

 

The seven-month exhibit of Ai Weiwei’s at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is giving 2017 a good start in tourism numbers. (Supplied)

Further growth can be attributed to outstanding arts and culture exhibits like the Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion exhibit at Grand Rapids Art Museum which welcomed over 23,000 attendees and ranks it as the sixth most visited exhibit based on average visitors per day, record numbers by the West Michigan Sports Commission, and Gerald R. Ford International Airport set a four-year passenger record in 2016 with a passenger number total of 2,653,630.

 

Furthermore, the visitor experience remains a focus. The Grand Rapids Certified Tourism Ambassador  (CTA) program, which educates people about the importance of tourism in the community, has trained more than 2,890 individuals and touched more than 540 businesses since it started in August 2013. New marketing programs are also being implemented, such as shuttles to ArtPrize for suburban hotel visitors. Following the first-year success, EXGR will again offer this as a hotel guest service during the weekends throughout ArtPrize.

 

Looking ahead, Small said that Experience Grand Rapids will be considering the suggestions made in the Destination Asset Study commissioned by Grand Action.
“The forecast for 2017 is “sunny” because of exciting cultural exhibits coming to Kent County including a seven-month exhibition of Ai Weiwei at Frederik Meijer Gardens, sporting events like the National Congress of State Games, and significant conventions such as Grand Aerie Fraternal Order of Eagles, Church of the Brethren and National Environmental Health Association. Combining with our increasing popularity as a cool city due to events such as ArtPrize, GRandJazzFest, and LaughFest and culinary, craft beer, and outdoor activities.”