For immediate release
Contact: Amy Landers, Executive Director
603-744-8664 alanders@lakesregion.org

Lakes Region Association to hold 71st Annual Business Meeting
Wednesday, September 26 at Meadowbrook

New Hampton, NH - Join the many business owners and managers, State Senators and Representatives and media at the Lakes Region Association's 71st Annual Business Meeting on Wednesday, September 26 at 5:30pm at the Center Stage Café located at the Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion in Gilford. The Association had a very exciting year with the introduction of many new marketing initiatives and the enhancement of many of the existing programs and services. Don't miss this opportunity to find out all the Association has done to market the region domestically and internationally through publications, web based advertisements and initiatives, press releases, trade shows, sales missions & print advertising over the past year and what is planned for the year to come.

Each year the Lakes Region Association produces and distributes 600,000 Lakes Region Map & Guides and 300,000 Where to in the Lakes Region Guides nationally and internationally. In addition to the Association’s publications, they maintain four websites each with their own targeted market --visitors, travel writers, group tour operators/travel agents & holiday travel.

New this year, the Lakes Region Association increased its International Marketing budget by 500% to aggressively promote our region to other countries. The current activities target trade, consumer and press strategies including tourism trade shows, sales, sales & training missions, consumer travel shows, public relations, consumer & travel trade fulfillment of requests and travel agent training.

Another part of our operations that was expanded this year was marketing to group travelers. The Association placed many advertisements in prominent publications that cater to group travel and also produced an interactive CD Rom designed specifically for Tour Operators that include samples of our newly developed multi-day itineraries, virtual tours, press releases and high resolution photography. In addition, the Association established a new program that provides telemarketing services to businesses, tour operators, and social groups to sell the Lakes Region as a meeting/group destination. Step-on Guide services are available through the Association as well.

The Association is also very proactive with both domestic and international travel writers hosting nearly 30 writers and photographers this past year. Each year, 4 custom e-blasts are sent directly to qualified travel writers (and another 4 to group tour operators) along with 20 press releases annually in an effort to inspire them to feature the Lakes Region of New Hampshire in their publications.

Each year, the Lakes Region Association awards the Mildred A Beach Hospitality Scholarship to a student at a college, university or technical college who is pursuing a degree in a tourism and hospitality related field. Last year’s recipient was Emily Mayo of Bow, NH, a student at the NH Community Technical College. The Association invites you to join us as we do our part to encourage students to enter this field of study.

A special thanks to our Annual Business Meeting host and sponsors, Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion, Profile Bank and Public Service of New Hampshire.

The Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion, on the shores of beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee, in Gilford, New Hampshire, started as a vision on a grass field in the middle of a tree farm. They have since evolved into northern New England’s premier summer concert venue hosting 25-30 major concerts every season. Now, with the addition of the Eastern Propane Winter Concert Series in their newly-renovated Center Stage Cafe, Meadowbrook is the all-season entertainment connection. For a full schedule visit them online at www.meadowbrook.net.

Profile Bank, established in 1907, is celebrating 100 years serving their customers and their communities.  Profile Bank has three branches Rochester, Sanbornville and Alton.  Come see what 100 years of community banking experience can do for you.  For more information, visit ProfleBank.co

Formed in 1926, Public Service of New Hampshire has grown to comprise three fossil fuel-fired generating plants and nine hydroelectric facilities, jointly capable of generating more than 1,110 megawatts of electricity and is the Granite State's largest electric utility. Serving more than 475,000 homes and businesses throughout the state, their personnel includes more than 1,200 employees who work and live in New Hampshire, contributing in many ways to the communities where they reside. www.psnh.com

The Lakes Region Association is a non-profit tourism marketing organization that promotes the entire region with aggressive domestic and international marketing, promotion and advertising programs. To assist our members in reaching potential guests, the association publishes 300,000 Where to! Lakes Region of New Hampshire, a comprehensive guide to the area, and 600,000 Lakes Region Map and Guides. The Lakes Region Association also maintains several comprehensive websites www.lakesregion.org for up to the minute happenings, property and entertainment listings, vacation travel incentives and more; www.lakesregion.org/media designed and maintained to assist travel writers and media outlets in publishing articles on the Lakes Region; www.lakesregion.org/groups to assist group tour operators, travel agents and group travelers; www.YuletideAtTheLakes.org to promote holiday travel to the region. For information on marketing programs & initiatives or on joining the Lakes Region Association visit www.LakesRegion.org or call 603-744-8664.

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The Lakes Region Association is a non-profit tourism marketing organization that promotes the entire region. The association publishes the Where to! Lakes Region of New Hampshire, a comprehensive guide to the area, and Lakes Region Map and Guide. For a free vacation package call 1-800-60-LAKES.