Tulip Time Festival Recognized as Top Event in North America

Tulip Time Festival Recognized as Top Event in North America

Holland, MI – Tulip Time Festival (www.tuliptime.com) has recently been notified that the Festival has again been designated as one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association (ABA). The ABA is the leading trade organization representing approximately 1,000 motorcoach and tour companies in the United States and Canada and another 2,800 member organizations representing the travel and tourism industry.

Each year the ABA considers hundreds of nominated celebrations, festivals, fairs and events and selects the Top 100. Then, within the 100, they give separate and special recognition to certain Annual Events because they have consistently been selected in the Top 100 group. Tulip Time has been in this top category 21 times since the list began in 1982 and designated as an Annual Event 14 of those 21 years. This year there are 31 best of the best events in the Annual Events category. They are divided into 4 regional groups: The East, Central, West, and Canada.

Tulip Time’s inclusion in the Central group ranks it equally with Mardi Gras and the Indianapolis 500 Celebration, along with the Kentucky Derby and Daytona 500 in the East, and the Iditarod Sled Race and Tournament of Roses in the West.

The honor gives Tulip Time an important boost in visibility among professional tour operators. While sharing the streets with a number of buses can be a challenge, researchers state that one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from $5,000 to more than $11,000 in a local destinations economy with those dollars being spent on lodging, meals, admissions, shopping, and services.

Tulip Time takes great pride in this 21st recognition for the festival and the city. For more information on the Top 100 visit www.buses.org.

Tulip Time Festival 2012 is May 5 – 12. Detailed program and event information for the coming festival is available on www.tuliptime.com.

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