Tc Convention & Visitors Bureau
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
TO PROMOTE, PROTECT, AND ENHANCE THE TRAVERSE CITY REGION, SECURING OUR POSITION AS A PREMIER, FOUR-SEASON DESTINATION.
- Income
- $13.0 million
- Spending
- $11.8 million
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $197,116, president &
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- 1. MARKETING THE DESTINATION TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM FOCUSES THE MAJORITY OF ITS MARKETING EFFORTS ON THE LEISURE TRAVEL MARKET KNOWING THAT LEISURE ALSO DRIVES GROUP DEMAND. TARGET AUDIENCES VARY DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR, THEME, EVENTS, AND ATTRACTION HIGHLIGHTS. THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE YEAR WE TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES AND SHOW A PROPENSITY TO CONVERT. FREQUENT THEMES FOR PROMOTION INCLUDE: AGRICULTURE, CULINARY AND WINE / CRAFT BEVERAGE OFFERINGS; OUTDOOR RECREATION; EVENTS; GOLF; AND SLEEPING BEAR DUNES. ADDITION AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE SHOPPING, ENTERTAINMENT, CASINOS AND MORE. TCT ENGAGES IN COLLABORATIVE MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO BUILD AWARENESS OF COMMON REGIONAL ASSETS AMONG TARGETED INTEREST GROUPS AND COLLABORATES WITH PURE MICHIGAN AT A NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL TO PROMOTE OUR REGION. SUCCESS IS MEASURED OVER THE LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THE DESTINATIONS ECONOMY, AS WELL AS BY EVALUATING NEAR-TERM ACCOMPLISHMENTS REACHING TARGETED AUDIENCES WITH OUR CAMPAIGN. WE USE GOOGLE ANALYTICS, SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH, AIRDNA, AND OTHER RESEARCH TOOLS TO TRACK OUR MARKETING EFFORTS AND CONVERSION. ONE OF THE BEST INDICATORS OF EFFECTIVENESS IS MONITORING OUR MONTHLY ASSESSMENT COLLECTION TO ANALYZE YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUES. WE ACTIVELY REVIEW VISITOR NUMBERS TO THE SLEEPING BEAR NATIONAL LAKESHORE AND TVC THROUGHPUT. WE ALSO SEEK OUT ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM OUR MEMBERS TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT THEY ARE OBSERVING AND TO CORROBORATE THE DATA WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND MEMBER DATA. 2. PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING CONFERENCES, MEETING AND GROUP TRAVEL, AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM HAS A SALES AND GROUP SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT ASSISTS THOSE PLANNING A MEETING OR OTHER GROUP EVENT IN THE AREA. OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO PROACTIVELY ATTRACT MEETINGS AND EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE DURING OFF-PEAK TIMES (NEED TIMES), HELPING ENSURE GREATER INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY BY SPREADING OUT DEMAND FOR HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES AND STAFF RESOURCES. TARGET GROUP MARKETS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS; CORPORATE; SMERF (SOCIAL, MILITARY, EDUCATION, RELIGIOUS AND FRATERNAL); SPORTS; AND GROUP TOURS. 1. MARKETING THE DESTINATION TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM FOCUSES THE MAJORITY OF ITS MARKETING EFFORTS ON THE LEISURE TRAVEL MARKET KNOWING THAT LEISURE ALSO DRIVES GROUP DEMAND. TARGET AUDIENCES VARY DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR, THEME, EVENTS, AND ATTRACTION HIGHLIGHTS. THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE YEAR WE TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES AND SHOW A PROPENSITY TO CONVERT. FREQUENT THEMES FOR PROMOTION INCLUDE: AGRICULTURE, CULINARY AND WINE / CRAFT BEVERAGE OFFERINGS; OUTDOOR RECREATION; EVENTS; GOLF; AND SLEEPING BEAR DUNES. ADDITION AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE SHOPPING, ENTERTAINMENT, CASINOS AND MORE. TCT ENGAGES IN COLLABORATIVE MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO BUILD AWARENESS OF COMMON REGIONAL ASSETS AMONG TARGETED INTEREST GROUPS AND COLLABORATES WITH PURE MICHIGAN AT A NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL TO PROMOTE OUR REGION. SUCCESS IS MEASURED OVER THE LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THE DESTINATIONS ECONOMY, AS WELL AS BY EVALUATING NEAR-TERM ACCOMPLISHMENTS REACHING TARGETED AUDIENCES WITH OUR CAMPAIGN. WE USE GOOGLE ANALYTICS, SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH, AIRDNA, AND OTHER RESEARCH TOOLS TO TRACK OUR MARKETING EFFORTS AND CONVERSION. ONE OF THE BEST INDICATORS OF EFFECTIVENESS IS MONITORING OUR MONTHLY ASSESSMENT COLLECTION TO ANALYZE YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUES. WE ACTIVELY REVIEW VISITOR NUMBERS TO THE SLEEPING BEAR NATIONAL LAKESHORE AND TVC THROUGHPUT. WE ALSO SEEK OUT ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM OUR MEMBERS TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT THEY ARE OBSERVING AND TO CORROBORATE THE DATA WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND MEMBER DATA. 2. PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING CONFERENCES, MEETING AND GROUP TRAVEL, AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM HAS A SALES AND GROUP SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT ASSISTS THOSE PLANNING A MEETING OR OTHER GROUP EVENT IN THE AREA. OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO PROACTIVELY ATTRACT MEETINGS AND EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE DURING OFF-PEAK TIMES (NEED TIMES), HELPING ENSURE GREATER INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY BY SPREADING OUT DEMAND FOR HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES AND STAFF RESOURCES. TARGET GROUP MARKETS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS; CORPORATE; SMERF (SOCIAL, MILITARY, EDUCATION, RELIGIOUS AND FRATERNAL); SPORTS; AND GROUP TOURS.
- TRAVERSE CITY FOOD & WINE WAS A NEW, MULTI-DAY INITIATIVE INTENDED TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF THE AGRICULTURAL, CULINARY AND CRAFT BEVERAGE OFFERINGS OF THE GREATER TRAVERSE CITY REGION. THE FESTIVAL FEATURED MULTIPLE TICKETED EVENTS EACH DAY AND INCLUDED DOZENS OF BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO PARTICIPATED BY HOSTING FINE DINING MEALS, TASTINGS, LECTURES, TOURS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES. THE INITIATIVE WELCOMED GUESTS FROM 34 STATES AND BEGAN A YEAR-ROUND CULINARY-FOCUSED CAMPAIGN FOR THE DESTINATION.
- 3. DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM SUPPORTS EFFORTS BEING PUT FORTH - INCLUDING LARGE- SCALE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW OR IMPROVED REGIONAL ASSETS SUCH AS SPORTS FACILITIES AND ATTRACTIONS. FURTHER, IT PROVIDES A RANGE OF SUPPORTS FOR EVENTS AND BUSINESS MODELS THAT CAN ENHANCE OUR REGIONAL APPEAL AND REPUTATION AND WORKFORCE-RELATED INITIATIVES THAT CAN BOLSTER THE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND ENSURE A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY.
- 3. DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM SUPPORTS EFFORTS BEING PUT FORTH - INCLUDING LARGE- SCALE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW OR IMPROVED REGIONAL ASSETS SUCH AS SPORTS FACILITIES AND ATTRACTIONS. FURTHER, IT PROVIDES A RANGE OF SUPPORTS FOR EVENTS AND BUSINESS MODELS THAT CAN ENHANCE OUR REGIONAL APPEAL AND REPUTATION AND WORKFORCE-RELATED INITIATIVES THAT CAN BOLSTER THE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND ENSURE A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(6) business league as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1985.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.