Project to attract U.S. tourists. (Sault Ste. Marie).Millions of Midwestern U.S. tourists regularly vacation in the Mackinaw City Mackinaw City (măk`ənô'), resort village (1990 pop. 875), Cheboygan and Emmet counties, N Mich., on the south shore of the Straits of Mackinac; settled 1681, inc. 1882. area of northern Michigan This article is about the region; for the university, see Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan - or more properly Northern Lower Michigan - is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan, popular as a tourist destination. every year. Perhaps it is the appeal of taking the ferry across the blue waters <includeonly></includeonly> Blue Waters, also known as ASP Blue Waters due to sponsorship reasons, are a Namibian football (soccer) club from Walvis Bay. They play in the country's highest division, the Namibia Premier League. of the Mackinaw Straits to the luxurious Grand Hotel, the Victorian style Victorian style, in British and American architecture, an eclectic mode based on the revival of older styles, often in new combinations. Although the style is named after the reign (1837–1901) of Queen Victoria, it was her husband Prince Albert who was the homes and the fudge factories of the historic island. But for whatever reason, whether it is geographical or psychological barriers, few visitors ever bother to venture further up Interstate 75 into the rugged beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula Upper Peninsula Abbr. UP The northern part of Michigan between Lakes Superior and Michigan. It is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac. Noun 1. , and fewer still cross the International Bridge into Sault Ste. Marie Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced "Soo Saint Marie" (IPA /su seɪnt məˈɹi/) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. , Ont., a 45-minute drive north. Tourism officials in the Sault and Mackinaw City have hit upon an adventurous method to introduce first-time visitors to the area with a new tour package known as Trains, Planes and Ferry Boats, a five-day excursion taking in the sights and sounds of local tourist, historical and gaming attractions in the Algoma district and northern Michigan. Beginning in the summer of 2003, in a deal worked out between Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, the Mackinaw City Visitor and Convention Centre, and a Mackinaw Island ferry service, boat loads of tour groups will be shuttled up the St. Mary's River to the Sault. "It gives us a chance to showcase all of our attractions, but in a very unique fashion," says Ian McMillan, the city's director of tourism. "We're really excited about this." Tourism officials have tentatively planned seven such excursions next summer - two runs each in June, July, August and one in September - on a five-hour, historically narrated cruise of the river to Sault, Ont. where for the next few days they tour the Canadian Bushplane Museum, venture onboard the Agawa Canyon Created 1.2 billion years ago by faulting along the Canadian Shield and then enlarged by the erosive action of the Agawa River, the Agawa Canyon is located deep in the sparsely populated Algoma District in the Canadian province of Ontario. Tour Train, stop off at the Sault Casino, as well as visit sights in northern Michigan, including Teqamenon Falls and Whitefish whitefish: see salmon. whitefish Any of several silvery food fishes (family Salmonidae, or Coregonidae), inhabiting cold northern lakes of Europe, Asia, and North America. Point by motor coach before returning to their starting point in Mackinaw City. They tested the idea during an inaugural shakedown cruise in late August by inviting a focus group of 45 tour operators, travel agents, motor coach leaders and media from across the U.S. Midwest and followed it up with a survey at the trip's conclusion. "The feedback was extremely positive," says McMillan, who plans on going out and extensively marketing the package this winter through travel trade publications, motor coach operators and through tour operators, travel agents and AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. organizations. The genesis of the idea began with three local businessmen; Peter Nixon, a former president of Algoma Steel; Jack Purvis of Purvis Marine Ltd.; and Don Gerrie, a Sault Economic Development Corp. board member who discussed the idea with Bill Shepler of Shepler's Mackinaw ferry service and then approached McMillan last fall about putting a package together through his American contacts. Northern Ontario Heritage Fund The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is a division of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region. contributed $25,000 toward the pilot trip. "We got it off the ground and proved it worked," says McMillan. "Now it's essentially going to be tickets sold that are going to support this thing." Though organizers have not yet decided on specific prices, McMillan estimates the entire five-day package, including the cost of transportation, meals, lodgings plus attractions, will be around $600 (US). Shepler's ferry service, which has operated licenced cruise and charter service to Mackinaw Island for 40 years, will provide a double-decked, diesel-powered excursion boat for the run. They regularly run the open waters of the Straits of Mackinaw at 29 knots, but have to slow to 10 knots inside the St. Mary's River due to wake restrictions. "Our goal is to fill 90 people per trip," which is slightly below vessel capacity, says McMillan. |
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