Message From The General Manager

Laura Chastain

NPS numbers for June and July are in.  June was down by 7.65% from last year and July was down by 4.48% from last year.  A lot of speculation as to why however most businesses are reporting a a decrease in international travelers.  Many feel this is directly related to the Work Cup which was held in Russia from mid-June to mid-July.  Click here for the link to the current NPS Reports. 

Networking Mixer - Thank you Pink Jeep and National Geographic IMAX for a spectacular networking mixer!  

Join us for AOT's Regional Data Report on September 13th from 11:30-12:30 pm at the Big E Steakhouse.  AOT will be sharing some new data reporting and be here in person to ask questions.  Also please consider joining us for lunch following the presentation $18 inclusive we will be serving a chicken salad.  RSVP here

Marketing Plan 2018 - 2019

I have some exciting plans for this year's marketing budget.  First and foremost we have matching funds from AOT for $49,536. We will be advertising in:

·                  AAA this fall / winter in Chicago, Arizona and Southern California

·                  Grand Canyon Journal 

·                  AOT's official Visitor Guide(note it is not schedule to come out until June 2019)

We are expanding our digital reach this year with

·                  Amplified story telling from December - May

·                  Geo Fencing from November - February

·                  Re-marketing display ads from October - March

·                  You-Tube Video distribution from Dec - May using our 360 video and some new video currently being created

·                  LA Times influencers to tell our winter story in December with additional banner ad boosts.

I will once again go to the Vancouver International Travel Expo on Sept 29th and I have room at our booth if anyone would like to join me.  The event generated over 250 leads last year.  I will be bringing our Virtual Reality which not only attracts people to our booth but also gives us some real time to sell them on visiting the Grand Canyon! 

We also plan to run our Winter Sweepstakes give-away again this year from about mid-October to beginning of December.  We are still looking for donations if you are willing to contribute.  Last year the sweepstakes generated over 2,300 leads with over 111,000 impressions and over 5,000 clicks. 

We are also participating in the Arizona Canadian Fall insert which is in select Canadian news papers - 612,000 distribution and WestJet Magazine. 

Our strategy continues to be to tell our Winter Story to those markets that have historically visited during the winter months and this year to include messaging about next years 2019 Centennial Celebration.  We will be expanding our brochure distribution to Southern Arizona beginning in November.  As always a special thank you to the Town of Tusayan for making this marketing plan possible.

Trunk or Treat - Are you already getting ready for this year's Trunk or Treat?  It will be on Wednesday October 31st.  Want to enter a Trunk or donate a prize for the kids costume contest click here.  

Tusayan Multimodal Transporatation Action Plan - grant support continuing for 1 more year. A little over a year ago National Park Service and the Chamber requested a grant to help facilitate discussions with the Town of Tusayan, National Forrest Service, National Park Service and local businesses to create a 5 year transportation plan that would enhance the quality and extent and use of multimodel transportation options between Tusayan and the South Rim.  We have made a lot of progress and I want to thank all of you that have participated in our meetings.  Over the next year we plan to finalize our plan and lay out the course of action to accomplish even more over the next 5 years.  Speaking of accomplishments...the  Ambassador Program was a direct outcome of these meetings.  By having our staff at the bus stops to assist visitors with basic questions as well as answer questions about hotel availability and tours we are improving the visitor experience. This program has been made possible through special funding from the Town of Tusayan.

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August Recap

Pink Jeep / National Geographic IMAX mixer - A big thank you to Mike Herman, Romy Murphy, Janet Rosener and Marty Harris for hosting a fantastic networking mixer.  We had over 50 attendees fabulous food and a nice break in the weather for a beautiful event outside. 

Mobile Veteran's Van - was here and felt they had a successful day reaching local veterans.  We continue to work with veteran services for employment opportunities and they continue to work with us on providing support for their placements.  The VA is currently looking to add additional services in our area and are looking for a space where they could privately meet with veterans.  If you have a small room or office they could use once a month please email Joshua Wear.

Arizona League of Cities and Towns - The Town of Tusayan once again did a fantastic job of show casing our town and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We brought the Grand Canyon to Scottsdale through our Virtural Reality and reminded all that we are the Grand Canyon State and asked them when was the last time they visited.

September

Chamber Networking Mixer September 11th 5:30 - 7 pm Sponsored by Buck Wild Hummer Tours with bites from the Chicken Kitchen, beer from Grand Canyon Brewery and a cornhole tournament RSVP to:  hello@buckwildhummertours.com 

Grand Canyon Become the Expert is back!  Join us on September 12th at 10 am at the Big E Steakhouse.  Learn from NPS expert Vanessa Ceja-Cervantes, National Forrest Service Liz Schuppert and Grand Canyon Chamber Laura Chastain in this very informative free session.  Please RSVP.

AOT Regional Data Presentation: September 13th 11:30-12:30 pm  Please RSVP

AOT Call Center - Sept 17th Laura will be doing a presentation at the AOT Call Center in Tuscon.

Vancouver International Travel Expo - September 29th in Vancouver BC.  Let us know if you want to join us at our booth!

Advertising opportunity from the Grand Canyon Chamber

Interested in placing banner ads on our website? From May 1, 2017 through April 30th 2018 we had 239,000 visitors to our website.  Take you business to the next level and advertise with us.

AOT - FAM's who's coming?

Looking for a room for Jocelyn Pride - Australian Society of Travel Writers on Sept 24th and 25th let me know if you can accommodate

October 11th - Travel Trend The Netherlands -  Lisanne Vermeulen and Rianne Spoor - Thank you Canyon Plaza for hosting

Current Marketing efforts

Facebook - August Recap

35 Posts - 12,940 views with 447 reactions.

Facebook / Instagram - Sept plan

Facebook Posts - Heavy focus on events and visiting this winter

Additional Advertising:

DriveGuide 1/2 page each issue

Northern AZ Exposure Map

Experience Sedona

AOT Visitor Guide

Current Print Advertising in circulation:

Summer Drive Guide – circulation 200,000
1/6 page ad in Experience Sedona guide – circulation 275,000
1/3 panel Northern Arizona Exposure Map – 275,000 circulation

1/4 panel Grand Canyon South Rim, Tusayan, & Northern AZ
Plus our 2018 Visitor's Guide I40 corridor certified racks and now Prescott Valley

Chamber Partner Opportunities

Grand Canyon Association - special request

Call for 2018 Grand Canyon Celebration of Art

Hosts- A Grand Place to Stay

Dear Grand Canyon community members,

The 2018 Celebration of Art is approaching and we are looking for host families for our artists. Hosting an artist is an excellent opportunity for community members to meet individuals from all over the country who appreciate the canyon as we do.  Living with a host family during the Celebration of Art is preferred by some artists as they enjoy spending time with those of us that live at Grand Canyon.

Hosted each year by the Grand Canyon Association, the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art is an annual event that includes 6 days of art related events followed by a 4-month long exhibition in Kolb Studio on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

The Celebration of Art features 25 artists from around the country who engage in a plein air competition and exhibition. Park visitors have the opportunity to watch the artists paint as they seek to represent the shifting light and shadow, amazing land forms, and vibrant colors of this vast landscape.

Proceeds from this event will support the goal of funding an art venue at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This permanent home will ensure that future generations of park visitors will be able to view the stunning art collection in the Grand Canyon National Park Museum and Grand Canyon Association Collections.

The plein air painters will need accommodations from September 7^th-16^th in order to participate in the event. Artists are typically out of the home before sunrise and gone for the bulk of the day, busy painting the canyon, they may return around lunch time and after sunset. Hosts are not obliged to provide dinner but may do so if they wish. If you have a spare bedroom and would like to volunteer to be a host, you will be rewarded with the experience of a lifetime. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Heather Peeters

Events Coordinator

Grand Canyon Association

928-638-7156

National Park Service News

NPS is in planning stages for a Fall 2019 Conference that will focus on inclusion in National Parks.  If you are interested in being part of this planning group please contact Pamela Edwards.

Media Requests

We are starting to see a number of media requests.  I have updated our media room page and added a Google form for media to fill out.  I will receive the requester’s information via email and in a pdf form which I will then share with those on my media list.  If you’re not on my media list please make sure your company has completed our contact information form.