Message From The General Manager

Laura Chastain

NPS numbers continue to show increased visitation - February was up 20.07% over last year and we have all seen the lines over the last few weeks.  Click here for the link to the current NPS Reports.  As we spring into Spring breaks please make sure you are communicating with your guests about the current road projects.  The detours are ever changing so please refer guest to the NPS website for the most current maps   http://go.nps.gov/roadimprovement 

We have been working with NPS and Paul Revere regarding the long bus waits.  When extra buses and drivers are available they have been adding to the Tusayan Route.  Here are a few key messages for visitors: If they want to drive into the park arrive before 9 am, parking at the main visitor center is filling by 10 am, all parking in the park is full by noon.  With that said parking in Tusayan and waiting for the bus is still a better option because even if they can get through the gate they will have a hard time finding parking.  Click here for a copy of the flyer we have shared with the RV Parks and Visitor Centers and please consider posting at your business.

I am working hard to get the new Ambassador program up and running in May.  This program will provide additional support to our visitors while waiting for the buses in Tusayan.  We are actively recruiting part-time staff for this new program.  Information can be found here.

Fee increase put on hold...National Park Service is saying no individual fee hikes for this season - thank you all for submitting your comments.  It is more vague regarding fee increases for CUA holders but there seems to be some more thought going into the proposal.  Click here for an article from the Washington Post.

Coming in May -  Meet with a Ranger - we will be hosting a Meet with a Ranger program beginning in May and hoping to continue each month.  This is an open opportunity to talk with a Ranger - gain local insight and find out about Ranger Programs inside the park.  Looking for a place to host the first one in May on the 8th or 9th for 1 hour.  Please let me know if you have a location we can use.

July 4th - we are actively working on our July 4th plan.  If you have any ideas/comments please consider attending our next board meeting - April 12th from 10 am - 12 pm upstairs at Papillon.

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March Recap

Our last newsletter covered many of our early March happenings:  Grand Canyon Birthday, Employment FAM tour and the Customer Service classes and the Food Manager class.  The Chamber office still has some of the Food Manager cards so if you haven't received your cards please stop by our office to pick them up.

Sponsorship Opportunities I am very excited to announce our 2018 sponsors thus far:  Holiday Inn - Gold Sponsor, Red Feather Lodge - Silver Sponsor, Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel - Silver sponsor, RP's Stagestop - Bronze sponsor, Camper Village - small business sponsor. 

If you are still interested in becoming a sponsor for 2018 please click here for details.

April

Customer Service - April 11th -  $10 per person - Classes will be at the Best Western - please RSVP 928-638-2901 - note time change for Customer Service Make it Easy due to High School Job Fair

Thanks to a grant from APS and local sponsorships from Best Western, Holiday Inn and Canyon Plaza Hotel and we will be presenting two more Customer Service classes.  The class Customer Service Make it Easy is geared towards hourly associates - but I encourage supervisors and managers to attend as well.  The second class Customer Service = Sales is geared more for the managers/supervisors and will also include an overview of the Customer Service Make it Easy program.  The last 30 minutes of each class will cover insider tips and we will have a Park Service Ranger there to answer questions.  

I also want to include handouts for the participants to take with them that will highlight how they can help a guest have a Grand Experience by learning about our local companies and what each of you offer.  If you want your information to be included - please take a moment to complete this Google Form.  I would need the information by April 6th to be included in the class on April 11th.

11:30pm - 1:30 pm - Customer Service = Sales

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Customer Service Make it Easy

Quarterly Mixer - Monday April 16th 6 pm - 7 pm at Papillon

Please join us for our quarterly Net Working Mixer sponsored by Papillon.  Please RSVP to me so we have an attendance count.  This is a great opportunity to network with your colleagues and we will also discuss the Ambassador program.

Grand Canyon - Tusayan Transportation Workshop - April 17th 10 am - 2:30 pm

The South Rim has seen record-setting visitation in the past few years.  Hosting millions of visitors gracefully while protecting park resources requires partnership and creative thinking. 

On behalf of Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon - South Rim Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Tusayan, Paul Revere Transportation and the Kaibab National Forest, we invite you to a workshop aimed at improving diverse transportation options and visitor services at one of Arizona’s most beloved and iconic cultural and natural landscapes. 

This workshop is one step in a collaborative effort to enhance multimodal transportation choices from Tusayan to the South Rim, including the shuttle bus system  and bicycling the Greenway Trail system.  Enhancement of these options is critical in making the Tusayan-South Rim community a better place to live, work and visit as well as protecting park resources from the effects of congestion.

Your expertise and insight will help us polish developing ideas, brainstorm new approaches and make Grand Canyon a better place to live and visit.

Join us on Tuesday, April 17th in Tusayan for the half-day workshop from 10 am to 2:30 pm.  It will be preceded by an optional canyon tour on the afternoon of Monday, April 16th.

We hope you can make it. Check out the details and clue us in to your availability by responding here asap.

AOT - FAM's who's coming this month?

April 17th & 18th Meryl Denis and Helene Coyan

Meryl has an Instagram following of 126,000 (@meryldenis)

Helene has an Instagram following of 229,000 (@girlborntotravel)

Thank you Canyon Plaza for hosting their stay - still looking for an activity please let me know if you would like to host.

April 18 & 19th Rich McCor and Nige Levanterman 

Rich has an instagram following of 330,000 (@paperboyo)

Nige has an instagram following of 111,000 (@levanterman)

Thank you Grand Canyon Plaza for hosting their stay and breakfast, and We Cook Pizza for hosting dinner. 

Current Marketing efforts

Facebook - March Recap

9 Posts with 1810 views and 51 clicks

Spring Training ads ran February 23rd - March 31st and had 19,144 impressions with 458 clicks as a result of the ads.

Winter Marketing campaign with Madden Media showed great results. Canvas Facebook ads 129,330 impressions with 3,748 clicks for a click through rate of 2.9%.  Facebook ads 305,695 impressions with 9,427 clicks for a click through rate of 3.03%.

Our VR Experience the Winter Majesty campaign with Madden Media produced 44,269 impressions with 26,921 views or a 60.81% view rate with 138 clicks for a 0.31% click through rate.

Facebook / Instagram - Apr plan

Facebook Posts - daily post on things to do, where to stay, where to eat, busy day tips- Park and Ride

AOT Rural Marketing Plan - Complete

USA Today Geo-Targeted Banners: Dec, Jan, Feb

Video Distribution: Sep - Feb

Facebook Ads - Sept - March

AOT State Map listing

AZ State Visitor Guide 1/2 page color

Play Ball Jan-Feb 1/2 page color

Additional Advertising:

DriveGuide 1/2 page each issue

Northern AZ Exposure Map

Experience Sedona

Canadian Guide to AZ

Canadian Explore

Current Print Advertising in circulation:

Winter 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

National Park Service News

Water Restrictions are back to Level 1.

Chamber Partner Opportunities

Grand Canyon Chamber Advertising

Bob Landers with Impact Displays was in town last month regarding our office display ads.  If you missed Bob but still want a display space in our office please let me know.  As always we appreciate your support!

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.