This week's Coldwater Area Chamber of Commerce "Member Spotlight of the Week" recognition is going to the Coldwater Country Conference and Visitors Bureau. Read more below on why Debra Yee of the Visitors Bureau believes that the Bureau deserves this week's Spotlight.
Coldwater Country Conference and Visitors Bureau Mission Statement:
To be the center and tourism guidepost of South Central Michigan, through active promotion of our communities to visitors in positive ways.
The Coldwater Country Conference and Visitors Bureau, (CCCVB), previously the Branch County Tourism Bureau, was founded by local hoteliers back in 1984, under Michigan’s Public Act 59. In April 2001, Executive Director Debra Yee, was the first director hired by the organization. Previous to that the CCCVB contracted services with the Coldwater Chamber of Commerce to handle the daily calls and requests.
One of the original founding members and previous hotelier, Matt Stritzinger, is still an active member of the CCCVB, now owning the Adventure Zone and Dickie’s Barbeque. Other board members include Susan Magocs of the Capri Drive-In, Casey Warner of the Best Western Plus, ViPul Patel of the Red Roof Inn and Abe Abdullah of the Quality Inn & Suites.
The CCCVB is a “destination marketing organization” for the county, funded by an assessment paid by visitors staying at Branch County hotels. The organization promotes the county area with billboards, running internet & social media campaigns, radio, advertising in national magazines, such as, the Pure Michigan Guide, Midwest Living and Adventure Outdoors to regional magazines like Experience Michigan, the Detroit Tiger Yearbook and The Annual NASCAR. The CCCVB also prints the Coldwater Country Official Visitor Guide, which annually is distributed the first of the year.
The CCCVB also funds a free App on Map-n-Tour, under the name “Coldwater Country”, for trekking through the Chains-of-Lakes, as well as, bicycle tours and historic tours.
The Coldwater Country is a not-for-profit organization that promotes activities and businesses in south central Michigan. The CCCVB welcomes businesses and organization to go the website ColdwaterCountry.com to add public events to their calendar, a business that needs listed or to find out what is happening in the area.
The CCCVB is currently renting office space at the Coldwater Chamber Welcome Center at 20 Division St. in Downtown Coldwater. If you have any questions about tourism or would like to advertise in the official visitor guide, please feel free to contact Debra at 517.278.0241.
