The benefits of membership are numerous. Here are a few of the benefits available to Visit Cook County members:  

1. A listing on our highly visited website, which sees an annual user count of over 700,000 users 
2. 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. *Not available to Lodging Partners*
3. A listing on the downtown Grand Marais visitor map with over 8,000 distributed each year (for Grand Marais businesses only)
4. Eligibility to accept 1% events funding distribution
5. Eligibility to participate in the music or events reimbursement programs, as available
6. Visitor referrals from our info center direct to your business
7. Access to Destination Uplift! Including free on-demand marketing courses and live webinars covering social media strategies, email marketing, SEO, Google Analytics, and much more! 
8. Inclusion in our business hours list and outreach
9. Access to maps, guides, and printed materials through our Information Center 
10. Rack card placement in our Grand Marais Information Center

 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. 
 

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.

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 March 1st 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 March 1st, 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.
 

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.

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. 

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.