Tulip Time Festival Recognized By Two National Travel Organizations For The Second Year In A Row

Tulip Time Festival Recognized By Two National Travel Organizations For The Second Year In A Row
HOLLAND, MI – January 18, 2010 –Tulip Time Festival (www.tuliptime.com) is proud to be chosen “Top 100 Events and Festivals in North America” by the American Bus Association (ABA) for the second year in a row. ABA's Top 100 Events in North America is an annual compendium of the best events for group travel in the United States and Canada. Each spring, a committee of ABA-member motorcoach and tour operators selects the Top 100 Events for the subsequent year. Winners are chosen from hundreds of celebrations, festivals, fairs, commemorative events, and more that have been nominated by state tourism offices and local and regional CVBs.

“To receive this award at the National level is a great honor,” says Tamra Bouman, Executive Director of the Tulip Time Festival. “Through the financial support of our sponsors and the commitment to serve of our volunteers the festival continues to make a positive impact on the tourism industry nationwide.”

"The attractiveness of the Tulip Time Festival as a don't-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the Tulip Time Festival" said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA's president and CEO. "The real news here is that the Tulip Time Festival has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives the Tulip Time Festival an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners."

According to studies recently completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from US $5,000 to more than US $13,000 in a local destination's economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes. "Simply put," said Pantuso, "motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer. That's why the Tulip Time Festival is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay."

The Tulip Time Festival has also been recognized by Leisure Group Travel as the “2009 Readers Choice Award for Excellence” for the second year in a row. There are tens of thousands of companies serving the group travel market. So, receiving an award for excellence in serving the group travel market by Leisure Group Travel magazine’s Annual Reader’s Choice program is no small feat. Subscribers of this leading trade journal recently selected their favorite group suppliers in eight different categories. 20,000 ballots were sent to readers, with voting taking place via mail-in forms and online at leisuregrouptravel.com, the industry’s most visited website. The Tulip Time Festival moved up a level over last year putting it in the “Gold” category just under Disney World (Platinum).

The 2010 Tulip Time Festival is May 1-8. For more information on the Tulip Time Festival call 800.822.2770 or visit www.tuliptime.com. Contact Tamra Bouman Tulip Time Director Direct: 616.395.8245 Cell: 616.218.3918 tamra@tuliptime.com