Trophy Garden Summer Reunion Brings Two Hundred RV Enthusiasts to Thunder Bay this Summer.

Tourism Thunder Bay is pleased to welcome the Trophy Gardens Summer Reunion, a group of U.S. based recreational vehicle owners who will be enjoying Thunder Bay’s Superior By Nature visitor experiences for five days.

Over 225 people are registered for this event, organized by local RV enthusiasts Carol Ahlstrand and Donna Hunter who winter in Texas. They extended an invitation to their winter neighbors and many jumped at the chance to explore the area this year. While the majority of them are exploring by recreational vehicle, others are arriving by automobile and staying at local hotels.

Promoting the Lake Superior circle tour drive for RV groups is an important part of our overall marketing strategy, and capitalizes on our community’s location on one of North America’s best scenic drives. This event alone is expected to inject over $166 000 into the local economy as these visitors tour local attractions, shop and explore. Our sponsorship of this event is being tested as a new approach to encouraging local road touring groups to organize local events that bring visitors and new revenue into the community. We congratulate the Ahlstrands and Hunters for their role as local ambassadors in a way that helps us grow the local tourism economy.

Councillor Rebecca Johnson, a huge supporter of tourism initiatives and myself were invited to their sit down supper this past tuesday and both of us had a chance to bring our welcome from Council and the city's tourism industry. While a seemingly small gesture for us, they loved feeling welcome and having a City Councillor there made their days. In mingling afterwards, I heard nothing but positive comments from the more than 225 people in attendance, telling us how friendly and accommodating everyone in the community had been to them and even the ease in which they were processed at the border.

The event is being held at the KOA Campground in Thunder Bay and runs from August 17 to the 21st. Stop in and say hello if you have a chance. They love feeling welcome in our community.