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Minnesota's scenic byways perfect for group tours
By RICHARD HASKETT
Group tour professionals have long built business around state and national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.
In 1992, Congress added a fourth tour opportunity when it created the national scenic byway program. In a major departure from traditional agency administered parks, forests and refuges, scenic byways can be administered by public, private or not-for-profit organizations or by collaborations between such groups. And, byways are tailor-made for group tour business.
National scenic byways are designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, but Congress also empowered states to designate state scenic byways. Unlike parks, forests and refuges, however, byways can be nominated, managed and marketed by agencies or by volunteer representatives of the communities they serve.
The scenic byways program is a function of the Federal Highway Administration, a unit of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and scenic byway coordinators in each participating state, usually someone in the state department of transportation. Byways also are assisted by America's Byways Resource Center, which focuses on research and training, and by the newly incorporated National Scenic Byway Foundation.
Byways come into existence when local citizen groups nominate a route for inclusion in the program through their state byway coordinator and, after extensive state and national evaluation, designations are awarded. There are three types of designation:
* State Byways must meet criteria established by the designating state but most states closely follow FHWA guidelines.
* National Scenic Byways must possess at least one of six intrinsic qualities and be designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. The intrinsic qualities examined are archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic.
* All-American Roads also are designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, but these routes must possess multiple intrinsic qualities that are nationally significant and contain one-of-a-kind features that do not exist elsewhere. The road or highway must also be considered a "destination unto itself." That is, the road must provide an exceptional traveling experience so recognized by travelers that they would make a drive along the highway a primary reason for their trip.
Minnesota is widely recognized as a leader in the scenic byway movement. In addition to being blessed with outstanding scenery, the state's long history of providing high-quality tourism experiences enabled it to rapidly develop its byways. Whereas many states administer their byway program as a purely transportation based initiative, Minnesota's program is governed by a commission with representation from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Historical Society and Explore Minnesota Tourism (formerly the Minnesota Office of Tourism). By involving all these interest groups, the program is positioned to meet the needs of tour operators at all levels.
Many aspects of scenic byways make them especially desirable as partners in developing group tour business:
Byways are defined by an accessible highway corridor that makes motorcoach access and transportation easy to arrange.
Byways are governed by a local group that usually includes representatives from lodging and attraction businesses and from local economic development and tourism promotion organizations so the interest is already there in providing accommodations, attractions and enjoyable experiences.
Marketing programs already promote the byway and help create demand for travel in the area. In addition to individual byway promotion efforts, very strong campaigns have been carried out by Explore Minnesota Tourism, including statewide ad campaigns, printed fulfillment materials, highlighted byways on state road maps, consumer show promotion and displays at highway rest areas. At the national level FHWA has partnered with Travel Industry Association of America to promote byways both in the United States and overseas.
Byways are well organized. In addition to regular meetings and active online dialog, the Minnesota Scenic Byway Commission holds an annual scenic byway conference where byway representatives receive training, information and motivation for their programs. The FHWA and America's Byways Resource Center also host a biennial national scenic byway conference, monthly telephone conferences and publish information and resources to assist the byway community.
Group tour professionals searching to develop new travel products may wish to begin by visiting www.exploreminnesota.com where byways are featured under "activities" as "scenic touring." Minnesota has 20 scenic byways ranging from the magnificent and highly varied 562-mile Great River Road (it continues through nine other states until it reaches the Gulf of Mexico) to the utterly fascinating nine-mile long Rushing Rapids Scenic Byway that parallels the St. Louis River as it thunders through Jay Cooke State Park.
Some byways, such as the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway, have their own Web sites and provide great information and contacts. For an example, look at www.paulbunyanscenicbyway.org. Be sure to look at their "Birds of the Byway" program.
Consumer information about the byways themselves is found at FHWA's www.byways.org Web site. Byway community information, detailed national information about byway leaders and contacts can be found at www.bywaysonline.org. Click on "contacts" to connect with local byway organizations, their leaders and marketing representatives.
Byways are early in their brand building process. FHWA is beginning to market All-American Roads and National Scenic Byways under the "America's Byways" brand. The bywaysonline.org Web site offers the America's Byways logo for use in publications and on Web sites by industry. As part of the brand building, FHWA and Mobil Travel Guides announced the publication of a series of four America's Byways Travel Guides in February of 2004. For details see www.mobiltravelguide.com.
Group tour professionals will find lots of opportunities for developing new products by examining the scenic byway programs and individual byways. For example, even though it is remote from major population centers, who couldn't develop and sell a product for something named Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway? It runs near the U.S./Canadian border between the legendary Red River of the North and Voyageurs National Park.
Similarly, history tours are discovering the remarkable resources of the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway that stretches from Brown's Valley where rainfall on one side of town flows to the Arctic and on the other side to the Gulf of Mexico. The valley's rich history is told in dozens of interesting sites, including a traditional Norwegian Stabbur (sod roofed log building) near Milan, the birthplace of Richard Sears, who sold his first watch from this site beginning the Sears and Roebuck Co., and the Harkin Store near New Ulm where visitors play checkers amid the smells of camphor and cinnamon, chat with the costumed staff, and investigate wares -- many of them original inventory -- at an important 1870s general store where goods arrived by steamboat.
Looking for a new route? Try the new Superior National Forest Scenic Byway between Silver Bay overlooking beautiful Lake Superior and Aurora on Minnesota's historic Iron Range. This greatly improved highway is now suitable for commercial motorcoach traffic and provides a direct connection between the "Shore" and the "Range."
While planning this route, why not link up with the other northeastern Minnesota byways. The Superior National Forest, North Shore Scenic Drive, Gunflint Trail and Duluth's Skyline Parkway have developed a joint marketing program called Minnesota's Superior Scenic Byways and can be reviewed at www.superiorbyways.com.
Got tours with urban interests? The Grand Rounds in Minneapolis was designated as the nation's first urban scenic byway. Based on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's parkway system, it offers a relaxed tour of some of the country's best city experiences. So much is available that www.exploreminnesota.com even suggests a three-day itinerary.
Although the scenic byway program is relatively new to the tourism industry, remember that byways are locally nominated and operated entities. Their real strength is their ability to deliver the stories that group tour travelers love to take home. Don't be surprised if you call the byway office and learn the best place in town for pie or that Fred or Betty know more about the old mill than anyone else because their grandparents operated it. These are local folks who know the territory and have stories to tell.
Remember what America was like before the interstate highways? It's still there. It's along the byways. Work with a byway to take your next tour there.
(Richard Haskett, Rice Creek Resources, wrote this article in August for ITINERARIES MINNESOTA, a magazine that promotes group travel in Minnesota.)
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