As the director of motorcoach & specialty markets for the Go Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB—encompassing the cities of Bay City, Birch Run, Chesaning, Frankenmuth, Midland, and Saginaw, Michigan—Jill Shorkey says her job is to “think out of the box” as she creates and curates special experiences for group travelers. Shorkey recently shared more with Group Tour about what sort of experiences there are for groups to discover when you Go Great Lakes Bay.
Q. How would you describe your region to someone who has never visited before?
A. Walkable, riverfront towns where shops and eateries dot the blocks, with cozy stays right near inviting waters. Neighborhoods alive with public art and humming with low-key nightlife, local pours, and delicious comfort food. Historic theaters and architecture, pristine art galleries and polished museums.
Moments like these fill every pocket of these six magnetic cities. But if you’ve seen one of them, you’ve still only seen one. Because while unsalted fresh waters and unspoiled trails knit this nature-rich region together, each one-of-a-kind locale adds its own splash of personality. Explore them all!
Photo courtesy of Go Great Lakes Bay
Q. What makes your region a great place for group tours?
A. The Great Lakes Bay region has many attractions and group-friendly dining options, along with step-on guides, museums, rich history, culture green space, and many experiences to make lasting memories.
Q. How does Go Great Lakes Bay help tour operators plan their group tours?
A. I truly enjoy having a conversation with the tour operator to “get to know” the group. Then, together we can come up with ideas of how to best share what our amazing region has to offer! I often leave conversations or Zoom calls with new ideas to “pitch” to our partners, then we can have new things to offer to other groups for the future.
Photo courtesy of Go Great Lakes Bay
Q. Are there any specific areas, themes, or activities you would like to promote to group tours? How and where can group tours discover and connect with those areas, themes, or activities?
A. One of our six cities is Frankenmuth, also called “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” host to multiple festivals, great shopping, and the “World’s Largest Christmas Store,” Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.
In Midland, we have Dow Gardens, comprised of an Estate Garden, Exploration Garden, and Whiting Forest, which takes visitors four stories high to stroll along the nation’s longest canopy walk. The walkway overlooks 54 acres of forest, ponds, and an apple orchard. Other attractions include an award-winning Children’s Garden, a spring display of 20,000-plus flowering bulbs, a playground, and a cafe. All activities, attractions, hotels, restaurants, and calendar of events can be found on our website, gogreat.com.
Q. What’s your long-term outlook for group tours to your area?
A. Go Great Lakes Bay is always eager to offer new and exciting experiences! We work closely with our partners to bring groups, FITs, and niche travelers here to share the beauty of this region! I want to always be the source for “out of the box” ideas and plans to create memorable experiences!
Q. Is there anything new or upcoming in your region that group tour planners should know about?
A. Dow Gardens is currently undergoing a huge renovation to create a 25,000-square-foot Welcome Center for 2026! There are also many festivals to choose from: Balloons over Bavaria, Dog Bowl, Bavarian Festival, and Oktoberfest, all in Frankenmuth yearly, just to name a few!
Q. Is there anything else our audience of tour operators should know about Go Great Lakes Bay?
A. With six cities, there are so many places to explore, I would love to host you for a personal FAM, and I can show you around our region. We can meet with our partners to create special experiences and truly make your trip unforgettable, and when you get home, you will want to share stories and invite family and friends to come back!
Learn More
Go Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB
gogreat.com
Lead image:
Balloons over Midland
Photo courtesy of Go Great Lakes Bay
