Visitors, friends and relatives are a fast growing section of the tourism market, and Greg Ayers of Discover Kalamazoo has some ideas on what to show them next time they are in town.
Ayers says often people take for granted some of the best features their hometown has to offer visitors. The Air Zoo of Kalamazoo and the Gilmore Car Museum are two common spots to show off, but Ayers suggest people also consider the Kalamazoo Nature Center, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts or the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.
The head of the Kalamazoo Visitors and Convention Bureau, also known as Discover Kalamazoo, Ayers will offer such ideas at the Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series at Western Michigan University. It's at 8 a.m. Friday, April 29, in the Dean's Conference Room of Schneider Hall, home of the Haworth College of Business.
Ayers came to Kalamazoo in 2007 to become the president of the Kalamazoo County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. Since then he and his team have worked to implement a three-year strategic plan, develop partnerships throughout the community, create a new destination brand and launch a new website.
One of those partnerships is with Western Michigan University, the site of the breakfast meeting. Ayers says since he will be on campus he plans to talk about the initiatives with the university. His organization works with the Provost's office as they recruit faculty and administrators.
Discover Kalamazoo also works with the office of admissions on what it calls it's Gold Pride events, aimed at students who have been approved for enrollment, but who have not accepted the university's offer. Ayers says sometimes telling all Kalamazoo has to offer can make the difference as students' make their decisions about where to go to school.
There will be a 30 minute question-and-answer period as part of the morning program.
Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Greg Ayers, Discover Kalamazoo
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