New Members:
- New members, complete the Membership & Listing Form or contact carah@visitcookcounty.com
Renewing Members:
- Review business name, address, website, contact info, images, text, and amenities
- Changes – can be made to your listing(s) in the Partner Portal or by contacting carah@visitcookcounty.com
- Review the detail of benefits
- Complete the Membership & Listing Form*
*Renewing members, if we do not hear back from you, it is our understanding that you wish to maintain your membership with no changes to your business details. An invoice will be automatically generated and sent to you on May 1st.
General Visitor Guide Listing Deadline: February 15, 2024
Renew &/or make updates to your information by February 15 to be included in:
- Visitor Guide. The visitor guide is produced annually in the spring. Members with a current “Active” status as of February 15 will be included.
- Downtown Grand Marais Map & Other Print Collateral (as appropriate)
Of course, membership can be added or renewed at any time. However, to be included in the printed materials, membership must be renewed or added before the February 15 deadline.
Visitor Guide Ads - Deadline February 15
NEW this year, we are offering content ads in our Visitor Guide! For only $500, you will receive an image and text placement in our new ads section of the guide. As a bonus, the Visitor Guide ad includes a standard membership (a $100 value).
To maintain uniformity and the beauty of the sought-after guide, the team at Visit Cook County will oversee the photos and content placement. Click here to see an example of the ad space.
Special Offers Add-on
Special Offers appear throughout the site and are featured promotions. They can be discounts, packages, or unique opportunities at your business. Only one active offer per listing is available per month, however, the contents of the offer may be changed during the month at your discretion.
Special Offers are available to all members of Visit Cook County for $300/annually per listing. Lodging tax members with pillow counts of 150+ receive (1) complimentary special offer per month attached to a lodging listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Membership
What are the benefits of Membership to Visit Cook County?
The benefits of membership are numerous, here are a few of the benefits available to Visit Cook County members:
- A listing on our highly visited website which sees an annual user count of over 700,000 users
- A listing in our annual Visitor Guide which has over 20,000 copies printed and distributed annually as well as an online digital presence of around 10,000 views.
- A listing on the downtown Grand Marais visitor map with over 8,000 distributed each year (for Grand Marais businesses only)
- Eligibility to accept 1% events funding distribution
- Eligibility to participate in the music or events reimbursement programs as available
- Visitor referrals from our info center direct to your business
- Inclusion in our business hours list and outreach
- Access to maps, guides, and printed materials through our Information Center
- Rack card placement in our Grand Marais Information Center
What is the difference between lodging and non-lodging membership?
Anyone who collects and reports Minnesota State Statute Lodging Tax in Cook County, Minnesota is eligible for a complimentary listing on the website and visitor guide. New lodging business in Cook County? Please notify carah@visitcookcounty.com to add your complimentary listing.
For all dining, retail, non-profit, wellness, or general local service businesses, an annual membership is required to be a member.
NEW! Special Offers are now available to ALL members as an add-on for $300/annually. Lodging members with a pillow count of 150+ pillows are eligible for complimentary Special Offers access.
What are lodging tiers?
Lodging tiers are based on a property's pillow count and determine the rank placement on the website.
Tier 1 = 250+ pillows, Tier 2 = 150-249 pillows, Tier 3 = 75-149 pillows, Tier 4 = 24-74 pillows, Tier 5 = 1-24 pillows.
Properties managed by the same entity will be grouped together unless otherwise requested.
What is the membership renewal cycle?
Visit Cook County annual membership begins May 1st of each year. Notifications for renewals are sent out in February/March with a deadline to renew by April 15 to be included in the new visitor guide. Members can join at any time, however, there is no prorated membership.
Early signup. If you sign up after January 1 of the current year to be a member, you do not need to renew your membership until the next year. If you sign up before January 1 of the current year, you will need to renew your membership in the spring.
Late signup. If you sign up after April 15, you can enjoy many of the other benefits of membership but will be absent from the current visitor guide until the next year when you renew your membership.
When will invoices be sent?
Invoices will be sent in April with payment due after May 1. If signing up after May 1, an invoice will be sent within a month of joining.
What is the difference between membership to Visit Cook County and the Cook County Chamber?
While both organizations share one executive director, the Cook County Chamber remains a separate organization from Visit Cook County. The primary difference between the two organizations is that Visit Cook County is focused on attracting and informing visitors, whereas the Chamber focuses on supporting local businesses through advocacy, policy, and networking.
Does membership to Visit Cook County impact my Cook County Chamber membership?
No. The two organizations remain separate entities, membership to one does not impact the other. However many businesses choose to be members of both organizations because of the unique benefits offered by both organizations.
