There seems to be something very comforting about the time of year when the maples and poplars start to turn in Duluth. The frenetic pace of summer activities falls away to the familiar routines of autumn. Personally, I enjoy this brief transition.
Fortunately for Duluth's tourism industry, this unique time for reflection doesn't come into play. After all, bringing visitors to Duluth requires year-round commitment. Fall transitions only mean focusing on different priorities, not fewer.
Through mid-October, the number of visitors to Duluth and northern Minnesota remains very strong. In fact, fall colors are just starting to peak in the region and will soon be moving into Duluth.
For an ever-growing number of birders at Hawk Ridge, there is likely no better place in the world to visit as they peer vigilantly over a horizon ablaze with colors. For our hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops, that means good news.
While some of us are hesitant to acknowledge winter's inevitable arrival, Visit Duluth is actively preparing for the first snow.
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The AMSOIL Duluth National Snocross is little more than two months away, and we're in the midst of our annual preparations for snowmobiling's premier event at Spirit Mountain.
The AMSOIL Duluth National Snocross ("The Nats") has grown from a fledgling event 17 years ago to the sport's kickoff of the season. It even garners worldwide coverage. Where there was once a noticeable lull in visitors over Thanksgiving weekend, there is now a world-class event drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Duluth.
Naturally, as Spirit Mountain makes snow for the Nats, they start up their own winter operations.
To help draw visitors for the winter season, Visit Duluth participates in our second major marketing effort in the Twin Cities. All of this takes more than a month of preparations as we continue to analyze our target market, media vehicles and execution options.
In the midst of all of these visitor activities, we are also hip-deep in producing the annual "Guide to Duluth."
Our research clearly demonstrates that the guide continues to be one of the most widely used planning resources for our visitors -- along with VisitDuluth.com. Preparation for this 88-page guide begins in July and grows intensely as the year progresses, culminating in its printing in early January.
While these efforts all focus on the leisure traveler, there is a completely different scope of work at Visit Duluth that also never ceases. Visit Duluth's convention sales and packaged travel sales teams work all year to bring in hundreds of different groups each year.
Many of our convention or packaged travel visitors spend multiple nights in Duluth's hotels. They find time to shop our eclectic blend of stores and visit attractions. And they frequently dine in our restaurants.
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In fact, this category of visitors often goes unnoticed. However, they are a huge part of the $730 million of tourism money directly spent in Duluth each year. And it's these dollars that lead to approximately $20 million in local tax revenue every year.
So, as we take a moment this fall to find a more tranquil pace in our personal lives, the tourism engine at Visit Duluth will keep on running full steam. Our leisure travel efforts, along with convention and packaged travel sales, continue at a frenetic pace. While many of these rewards are realized between June and September, Visit Duluth's members count on these efforts to help sustain their business all year. And we're grateful to have the opportunity to work hard for them.
For more information on any of Duluth's great events, pick up the 2008 "Guide to Duluth" by stopping by our information center at 21 W. Superior St., Suite 100, or go to VisitDuluth.com.
Terry Mattson can be reached at (218) 722-4011 or by e-mail at tmattson@visitduluth.com .
