Message From The General Manager

Laura Chastain

Summer is in full swing and our hotels are booked.  Thanks to those that responded to my last month request in bookings - a few reported an increase in domestic bookings.  The NPS reports are out and showing an increase in June visitation and year to date up 6.29% through June.  Click here for the link to the NPS Reports. 

I hope you are all able to join us Thursday for our monthly board meeting.  We will have Stephanie Dowling - Deputy Director, Jamier Daer - Advertising Director and Loretta Belonio - Community Relations Manager from the Arizona Office of Tourism here to present how the Grand Canyon is represented in their marketing campaign.  This is a great networking opportunity and a way for Grand Canyon businesses to find out how they can leverage AOT's marketing efforts.

Coconino County Health Department will be coming out next week - Thursday August 17th to conduct an English Food Handler class from 9:30 - 11:00 am.  Please contact the Chamber to register - cost is $20 per person - please bring payment to class with checks made out to Coconino County Health Services.

The Chamber will be hosting our 3rd Job and Resource Fair on Tuesday August 29th from 10 am - 2 pm at the Best Western Squire Inn Pub.  The purpose of the event is to help displaced workers secure fall and winter positions in the Grand Canyon.  Last year we held the event in October and had about 25 people come through and I am aware of 7 winter placements.  We moved the date up to try and show potentially displaced staff that there are opportunities right here with other employers for the winter.  Please share the flyers with your staff.  We will also have additional resources at the event: Veterans Services, and Coconino County.  I am still waiting on confirmation from a few more services.  If you are hiring for fall/winter and would like a table please contact the Chamber at 638-2901.

July Recap

July 4th - Still working on final numbers for our annual fundraiser but a definite increase over last year.  Thank you all that donated items for the auctions, volunteered time, cooked, played games with the kids, and decorated floats.  Congratulations to Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel on their winning Float entry.

Arizona Governors Conference -  I was able to attend all 3 round tables on Wednesday; Marketing and Research, PR and Trade.  Anyone interested in Trade opportunities please contact me as some are open to hotels and suppliers.  AOT opening general session Why things Catch with Jonah Berger was amazing.  If you want to learn why check out his book Contagious.  

Congratulations Grand Canyon Railway for winning the Outstanding Arizona Cultural and Historic Preservation award for your work on Engine #29!

Current Marketing efforts

Facebook - July Recap

39 posts, reach 11,488 with 316 engagements.  

Facebook Ad promoting Chamber Office for information and booking tours, hotels etc. reach of 3865 with 15,833 impressions over a 32 day period with 55 people talking 39 clicks 10 reactions and 12 new page likes.

Facebook - August plan

Daily Posts

Traffic promotion to Chamber Website

Submitted Application for AOT Rural Marketing Plan

We are waiting to finalize which of these requests will be accepted but here is what we think so far:

Quantcast Banner Ads: Sept, Nov and January

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

Video Distribution: Sep - Feb

AdWord Campaign - Oct, Nov, Dec

Facebook Ads - Sept - May

Discover Arizona: Canadian insert Oct/Nov

Via Arizona: Winter

AOT State Map listing

AZ State Visitor Guide 1/2 page color

Experience AZ Fall/Winter Full page 

Grand Canyon Journal November Issue 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

AOT August ENewsletter

Current Print Advertising in circulation:

Sumer 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 Visitor's Guide I40 corridor certified racks

If your business is in need of Chamber Visitor Guides please let me know and I'm happy to distribute.

National Park Service News

National Park Service

Changes to Senior Pass

On August 28, 2017, the price of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass will increase for the first time since 1994. The additional revenue will be used to enhance the visitor experience in parks. 

Why is the price of the Senior Pass increasing?
The price of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass is increasing as result of the Centennial Legislation P.L. 114-289 passed by the US Congress on December 16, 2016.

When was the last time the price increased for the Senior Pass? The Senior Pass has been $10 since 1994.

How much is it increasing? The lifetime Senior Pass will increase from $10 to $80.

What if a senior citizen is on a fixed budget? The legislation also establishes an annual Senior Pass for $20. That pass is valid for one year from the date of issuance. Four annual Senior Passes purchased in prior years can be traded in for a lifetime pass. Additionally, access to the majority of National Park Service sites remains free—only 118 of 417 National Park Service sites have an entrance fee.

National Park Service CUA program

The National Park Service is considering potential updates to its commercial use authorization (CUA) program. CUAs are permits that tour operators and certain other visitor service providers must procure in order to operate in a national park. In the next two months, NPS expects to post an overview of potential updates and allow for public comment through the online Planning, Environment, and Public Comment System. Check that website for updates and, once the proposed updates are posted, the opportunity to comment. ~ Donald Leadbetter National Tourism Program Manager National Park Service Note no new information on their website at this time.

The National Park Service is already planning the Grand Canyon's 100th Birthday Celebration and they want your feedback on how to make it a Grand Celebration.  Please complete a brief survey  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CK2FML5  to share your ideas.

Chamber Partner Opportunities

Grand Canyon Chamber Advertising

We have two display ad space opportunities available in the Chamber office.  For $598 you can have a 17X11 full color Ad in our office for the year.  Please call Laura if you are interested 928-638-2901.

Take your business listing to the next level! Banner Ads on our website.  Arizona Exposure Marketing will be contacting you about banner ad spaces available on our website.  

Vacation Races has some Partner opportunities for the October 14th 1/2 Marathon event.

They are seeking partners for Lodging, Restaurants and Entertainment in exchange for...

• comped rooms for Vacation Races staff and/or discounted room/rental rates for runners *they expect most visitors will check in on Thurs, 10/12 and check out on Sun, 10/15*
• discounted meals or other restaurant promotions for runners
• discounts on an activity offering or product

Vacation Races would love to include you on the Grand Canyon half marathon website as a partner and provide you an ad in our race guide (digital and print) at no cost. If you cannot offer a discount or perk, we invite you to be included on our website and in the race guide for a fee of $250.

Expo
If you feel runners are your perfect demographic, they invite you to participate in their race expo. For $250, they will provide you with, at minimum, 10x10 space & the opportunity to engage with thousands of runners & their friends & families. You are responsible for bringing your own supplies including a tent, table & chairs.

Contact Laureen Jenkins   Laureen@the-event-lab.com or call 704-989-1615.

Vacation Races plan on attending the mixer on Monday and will be available to answer any questions you may have regarding the event.

Chimani has some Partnership Opportunities

Here's your chance to participate in Chimani Perks - a discount saving club for national park travelers. This is a first-of-its-kind program which will be build directly into our mobile apps and will be rolled out nationally on April 19th. We currently have over 150 businesses enrolled in the program so far.

As a national park related business, you can participate in this program for free. In exchange for a discount (10-15%) to a small number of our paying members of the Chimani Perks program, you get free advertising in our National Parks by Chimani and Grand Canyon National Park by Chimani mobile apps - which is a combined audience of 750,000 users.

You can view a two-page guide here.

To sign-up it only takes two minutes:  http://www.chimani.co/signup

If you have any questions, free free to contact: partners@chimani.com 

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.