By Staff
Amtrak's new marketing efforts to promote its Blue Water Service from Port Huron to Chicago, with stops in Dowagiac and Niles, has led to a new partnership with the tourist bureaus and chambers of commerce located within each of the Michigan communities Amtrak services along the nine-city route.
Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority, said she is pleased a new marketing push by Amtrak will feature information on the Grand Old City, as it promotes the convenience of traveling by rail.
An $111,000 matching grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) this May will result in the production of a marketing brochure and 10 roadside billboards being situated along I-69 and I-94, promoting Amtrak's low fares for its Blue Water Service that travels through Dowagiac.
Phillipson encourages the public to ride the train for comfort, economy and hassle-free shopping, dining, attractions and summer events all along the line from Port Huron to Chicago.
The Blue Water Service, which starts in Port Huron, also includes stops in Lapeer, Flint, Durand, East Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Niles, before arriving at Chicago's Union Station.
As the brochure states, "Wherever you live along the line, safe and economical transportation is right at your doorstep."
Therese Cody, departmental analyst with rail passenger service for MDOT, said MDOT was able to provide the locally-matched grant to support the marketing effort, which is being coordinated by Flint Mass Transportation Authority with the image campaign produced by TS Jenkins and Associates advertising firm in Flint.
That city's transportation authority is also providing the 10-percent local match of $11,000 that was needed to fund the project.
Cody said prior to the new, locally-focused marketing effort, Amtrak had
taken a national approach. "We are now letting the participating
communities tell us how they would like to have their rail service
promoted," Cody said. "While this is a trial run, we hope this is a
project that will be continued next year. As such, the State of Michigan
is attempting to be as supportive as it can, as it also involves Travel
Michigan in the campaign."
Phillipson said that TS Jenkins &Associates indicated to her that highway
billboards had been secured for five of the nine Blue Water Service
communities, including Port Huron, Flint, Durand, East Lansing and
Kalamazoo. The billboards, located along I-69 and I-94 corridors, will be
in place beginning next month through October.
By mid-May Amtrak and each of the nine Blue Water Service communities will
begin distribution of the 50,000 marketing brochures. The print campaign,
which was spearheaded by Flint Mass Transportation Authority, was developed
in cooperation with the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, Blue Water
Area Convention &Visitors Bureau, Flint Area Convention &Visitors Bureau,
Greater Lapeer Transportation Authority, Greater Lansing Convention &
Visitors Bureau, Kalamazoo County Convention &Visitors Bureau, Shiawassee
County Convention &Visitors Bureau, Four Flags Area Council on Tourism and
Battle Creek/Calhoun County Visitors &Convention Bureau.
Phillipson said this summer's event and festival information was solicited
from each of the communities and is spotlighted in the promotional piece,
including Dowagiac's Beckwith Park Summer Concert Series of the Downtown
Development Authority; the Chamber's Fun Fest in late-July and its Rod &
Roll Classic Auto Show in August; Dowagiac Art Guild's Fine Art Show in
August; and the Jay Teter Concert in August that will be held on the
Dowagiac campus of Southwestern Michigan College.
indoor museums to shopping centers, Amtrak Blue Water Service can take you
there and back in style and comfort - not to mention convenience,"
Phillipson said.
spontaneous, comfortable and fun - not to mention you can enjoy the freedom
from stressful driving, parking fees and fluctuating gas prices," Phillipson
said. "We hope that Amtrak's low fares and the safety, convenience and
comfort of traveling by train will encourage more travelers to become Amtrak
passengers."
In conjunction with the onset of the campaign, Union Station in Chicago will
be the site of a Michigan Day on Wednesday, May 25, which spotlights the
nine Blue Water Service communities.
Dawn Stableford, tourism director for the Flint Area Convention &Visitors
Bureau who is coordinating that portion of the campaign, has made
arrangements for the nine communities to have their marketing materials
inserted into more than 1,000 visitors' bags, which will be distributed to
travelers that day. Amtrak is also making exhibit space at Union Station
available to
participating tourist bureaus and chambers of commerce, as well as
tourist-related businesses that are located within the route communities.
provided Union Station with Dowagiac marketing materials earlier this
spring, another quantity will be provided to the convention bureau for
distribution to visitors on Michigan Day," Phillipson said. Chicago's Union
Station serves more than 100,000 travelers daily.
the brochure racks at Union Station have already been emptied out,"
Phillipson said. "Unfortunately, while we do not have the financial means
to keep pace with that amount of traffic, we certainly want to make sure
that travelers on Michigan Day receive information on our Grand Old City."
The Chamber's 2005 Event &Festival Brochure will be handed out that day,
along with the DDA's downtown business guide, which features information on
Dowagiac's specialty shops, and fine and casual dining.