Motor City is keen to showcase its eclectic dining scene with the launch of a new digital pass for foodies. Visit Detroit announced the launch of the Dining in the D pass, a digital passport which unlocks exclusive discounts and rewards at over two dozen restaurants in metro Detroit. These venues range from trendy bars to family-friendly spots plus upscale fine dining establishments. The Detroit dining mobile pass provides an easy way to tour the city's dynamic culinary offerings. No app download is required. Users sign up via mobile browser and bookmark the pass page for easy access on their phones. When dining at participating venues, they just show the digital pass on their phone to receive exclusive offers like percentage discounts, buy-one-get-one deals, and more. “We are excited to introduce the Dining in the D pass, making it easy and affordable to explore all the flavors the city has to offer,” said Claude Molinari, CEO of Visit Detroit. In addition to scoring discounts, Dining in the D pass holders earn points by checking in at restaurants. Points can be redeemed for chances to win prize packages from Visit Detroit, including a retail therapy bundle, a gourmet getaway, sports fan packages, and Visit Detroit merchandise. The pass is valid for one year from the activation date, giving users the chance to try a variety of dining options over time. "We're thrilled to join the pass highlighting Detroit's dining scene. Our passion has always been bringing flavor and love to the city of Detroit,” says Kara Horstmann, Marketing Manager at Little Caesars Arena. The Detroit Dining in the D pass joins Visit Detroit's other popular programs like the Detroit Pizza Pass, Brew Trail, and Explore Detroit Pass. 

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  Chris Moyer, representing Visit Detroit, unveils the city's remarkable transformation and rebranding efforts to Graham McKenzie in London. With a fervent passion for Detroit's cultural significance, Moyer emphasizes the pivotal role of the city in shaping music, automotive innovation, and global heritage. Highlighting Detroit's journey from prosperity to decline and eventual resurgence through 25 years of reinvestment, Moyer paints a picture of a flourishing metropolis poised for a new era. Exciting developments, such as the transformation of the Michigan Central train station and the expansion of the Motown Museum, underscore Detroit's vibrant future while honoring its rich industrial legacy. This interview serves as a beacon of hope, showcasing Detroit's unwavering spirit and its ongoing quest for revitalization.  

 

New Brand Designed to Reintroduce the Motor City onto the Global Stage

  At IMM 2024, Visit Detroit launched a new, fearless brand voice that is a love letter to Detroit, Detroiters, and Southeast Michigan. "When We Move, Your Move" reintroduces Detroit to a new generation of travellers everywhere while zeroing in on attracting visitors from significant target markets in North America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.   Working to achieve a goal of 25 million visitors a year to the Detroit region by 2030, the new campaign focuses on creating a new narrative and perception for Detroit that reminds people that "Cars wouldn't be cars, music wouldn't music, and your world wouldn't be your world without Detroit."   Claude Molinari, President and CEO of Visit Detroit, shared his excitement: "Detroit is the home of American innovation, three world-changing genres of music, and an iconic ethos of style and design. The last decade has seen $13 billion in development, a dozen new hotels, and a significant expansion of multiple cultural attractions. There is no finish line for Detroit, but our new brand is here to remind people that our city is the ideal destination for travellers with a curious mind and open heart."   Detroit sits at the heart of North America's largest border region by population, sharing the beautiful Detroit River with Windsor, Canada. The region welcomed just over 17 million visitors in 2023.   Music   Detroit is the birthplace of Motown, Soul, and Techno music, and the city has significantly contributed to Jazz, Gospel, Blues, Rap, and Rock and Roll. Baker's Keyboard Lounge is the oldest continuous Jazz Club in the world, and dozens of other venues cater to aficionados eager to listen to classical and contemporary music. Thousands of travellers visit Motown Museum every year.   American Innovation   Detroit is home to the first paved road, first stop sign, tri-colored traffic light, and motorway. Now, the city has just opened the first electric-vehicle charging road, which is part of the city's global leadership in the sustainable mobility industry.   Design   Detroit's art and architecture scene has led to the city being named the only UNESCO City of Design in the United States and one of only 43 in the world. More than 600 murals adorn city walls, and the Detroit Institute of Arts houses the first Van Gogh purchased by an American museum and the stunning "Detroit Industry Murals" by renowned artist Deigo Rivera.

  Visit Detroit's new brand, “When We Move, You Move”, is all about a celebration of Detroit's impact on the world to showcase Detroit-centric experiences and attractions from a new perspective, while celebrating the people who breathe life into this city every day.  

America’s Motor City is now a hub for two-wheeled pedal power. In today's Detroit, the automobile takes second fiddle compared to the bicycle. The Comeback City is now a place of greenways and innovative bike share companies. Navigating Detroit is increasingly driven by pedals along premier greenways – the International Riverwalk, Dequindre Cut and Southwest Greenway. “I've done it myself, biking up the Riverwalk and taking in the scenery,” Visit Detroit CEO & President Claude Molinari said. “What we're hearing is that these trails are a lifeline for the interconnectivity of Detroit. Our region is just getting started providing some of the nation's best bike paths.” The International Riverwalk is the nation's top-ranked riverwalk, tracing the banks of the Detroit River it shares with Canada – including historic Belle Isle, an island park located between the US and Canada. The Dequindre Cut is a 2.5-mile path converted from an abandoned railroad line, one of the first greenways opened in Detroit. Additionally, the Southwest Greenway opened in May 2023 after sponsorship from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. It connects Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, a community space set to open in 2024, with Michigan Central Station, newly renovated and home to Ford Motor Company's electric vehicle (EV) research teams. All of Detroit's modes of transportation are connected via these greenways, making the transportation arteries increasingly important. Together, the three established trails provide more than 6.5 miles of bikeable paths with access to hundreds of shops, offices and restaurants in Detroit. Even the very access to bikes has seen innovation in Detroit. Local rental company MoGo provides a comprehensive bikeshare service similar to Spin scooters. These MoGo bikes allow anyone to rent a bike on-demand, getting Detroiters where they need to be, when they need to be there. These bike paths are only expanding, as the 27.5-mile Joe Louis Greenway project is rapidly growing thanks to its award-winning Framework Plan. This path will connect and expand Detroit's existing trails, as well as link them to pathways in nearby Dearborn, Hamtramck and Highland Park. The under-construction Gordie Howe Bridge will also connect to the Joe Louis Greenway in 2025, with bike access linking the United States and Canada at one of the two nations' busiest intersections. Detroit's past might've been tied to the gas-powered automobile, but its future is sustainable multimodal transportation.

  Detroit is aptly called the Motor City, and not just because it’s the home of Ford and Chrysler. It is a destination always on the move. Our businesses, community, and leaders never stop seeking new ways for visitors to better experience the city. Each day is an opportunity for innovation, inspiration, and exploration. No matter when you last visited Detroit, there is something new here now.   That drive for constant improvement is something meeting planners can appreciate. For the three days your group is in Detroit, attendees will come together in a way that can only happen here. We know this isn’t just a meeting for you and your organization—this is an experience.   Trust us, we have plenty of experience building unique journeys for groups that call us home for their most important gatherings. There are meeting venues that conjure new perspectives needed to develop solutions. Teambuilding opportunities are seemingly at every corner. The dining scene is a cut above the rest, filled with diverse and delicious options for any occasion.   All our hard work and stick-to-itiveness are paying off. The team at Visit Detroit and our local hospitality industry are operating in high gear. Visiting groups, companies and organizations get big business done here, but it doesn’t feel like work. Likewise, playtime has a purpose.   Attendees walk out of Detroit buzzing with excitement for what the future holds and what they just experienced. Conversations will circle back to your meeting or event here for years to come. It will be a turning point, when the combination of innovation, cohesion, and pure joy accelerated your team’s readiness to meet and surpass objectives.   Read on to learn why Detroit is the right place to meet and play.    

1. Always Something New

  Detroit has loads of history. It didn’t become one of the country’s most iconic destinations by staying stuck in neutral. These days, new offerings are coming so fast that it’s hard to keep track. Among the latest highlights:  

• Ford Mobility Innovation District. Want to see how far Detroit has come? A legendary automobile company is developing a walkable addition to Corktown. Built around the famed Michigan Central Station, this 30-acre creation is a testament to forward-thinking. The revitalized Albert Kahn-designed Book Depository will be transformed into a mixed-use maker space offering flexible workspaces, hands-on labs, and innovation studios to spur collaboration—an inspiration for any visiting group. Sustainability measures will abound, as will plentiful green space, trails for biking, scooters, and shuttle transportation to get guests to cafes and shopping options. This is definitely not your father’s Detroit.
• Joe Louis Greenway. This future 27.5-mile trailhead for biking, hiking, and running will be a true connector of the city. It is a symbol of the sort of great transformation many companies seek. We made it a reality by dreaming big. Attendees, already attuned to the benefits of the outdoors, will appreciate this opportunity to break from the meeting room and get a new view of a city they thought they knew.
• Cambria and Godfrey Hotels. These two urban-chic properties put attendees near Huntington Place while offering the amenities any corporate group desires. The Godfrey will include a rooftop bar when it opens in 2023. Both have upscale meeting spaces and fine dining. Cambria debuts this year.
• Hudson’s Site: Bedrock, which has helped attract more than 200 businesses to Detroit, is currently at work on developing a 685-foot tower on the old Hudson’s Department Store site. The new building will feature office space, destination retail, event spaces, public rooftop amenities, and an activated public plaza. Construction is set to be completed in 2023.

 

2. First-Class Meeting Spaces

  Huntington Place (formerly TFC Center) is one of the top convention centers for conventions, trade shows, and citywide and sporting events. Among the major events coming soon is Connect Marketplace in August. Its location downtown on the Detroit River is a beauty to behold, but the inside has the goods. The three-story glass atrium adds a natural spotlight to this LEED Gold-certified facility. There are 723,000 square feet of exhibit hall space and 200,000 square feet of flexible event space, as well as four ballrooms and 100 breakout rooms. Planners have no shortage of options, aided by top-of-the-line Wi-Fi, audiovisual equipment, and catering services.   Suburban Collection Showplace is the largest privately-owned exposition, conference, and banquet center in Michigan. With 305,000 square feet of exhibit space, associations, corporations, and other organizations all make this a regular home. Hyatt Place Detroit/Novi is conveniently attached to the facility, which includes four ballrooms for private functions and 41 breakout rooms.    

3. Out-of-the-Box Teambuilding

  From CSR opportunities to escape rooms, Detroit is built to bring people together. Take advantage of some offerings beyond the norm with teambuilding activities you won’t find in other destinations.  

• Detroit Flyhouse Circus School offers just what you think. Attendees will have a blast learning to trapeze and perform other aerial maneuvers involved in the circus arts. But this is not clowning around. Skills learned here to offer a boost in confidence, trust, and interactivity. The school offers group lessons for up to 25 people.
• Detroit HandleBar Pub Tour will really get things moving with scavenger hunts, historic tours, and the ever-popular bar hopping. The company has ten pedal pub bikes, each up to 16 passengers.
• Art in Motion is a great metaphor for how dedication and concentration are rewarded with incredible final results. Groups can create ceramics or enjoy a painting class here.

   

4. Hotels Galore

  Planners can count on all the major hotel brands for intimate and large-scale events here. With 5,000 rooms in downtown Detroit, there is a good fit for each group regardless of the city district most appealing to your program.   A boutique boom allows for innovative and memorable gatherings. Historic buildings are finding new life as properties that will add a splash of color to any stay. Consider the rise of Shinola Hotel, The Siren Hotel, Aloft Detroit, and Detroit Foundation Hotel as symbols of what is possible when reconsidering company resources—plus they are great to stay in and near many of the venues you’ll direct attendees to.    

5. Buzzing Nightlife

  Casinos, jazz cafes, and theaters fill the city’s soul. As the home of Motown and the birthplace of techno, Detroit is ready for any music lover’s taste. Our theater district is one of the largest outside Broadway. The Pistons, Red Wings, Lions, and Tigers provide plenty of options year-round for sports enthusiasts too.    

6. The Eat Is On

  No destination’s cuisine is cooking quite as hot as Detroit’s these days. Soul food and pizza will always be on the menu here, but how about East African at the acclaimed Baobab Fare (among the city’s amazing establishments owned by Black women) or authentic Argentinian and Latin American cuisine and cocktails at Barda, one of the city’s restaurants recognized by the James Beard Foundation? Memorable and unique meals aside, this food renaissance speaks to our destination’s diversity and inclusion of the many cultures that make Detroit and this country so great.   The Detroit Brew Trail will be a popular excursion for visitors eager to get a sampling of craft beers, pubs, and microbreweries.  

7. Staying Fit

  Burn off those newly gained calories by taking advantage of many health and fitness opportunities. There is no shortage of outdoor spaces for a relaxing yoga session. A velodrome will intrigue cyclists, and Pilates and fitness centers are nearby any location. Find several intriguing possibilities, including ice skating, here.    

8. Rich in Culture

  Having played a significant role in the country’s automobile industry, sports scene, the arts community, and more, Detroit’s story is rich and one worth exploring. Give attendees a sense of place by moving receptions and other elements of your event off-site. Our city’s museums celebrate our vibrancy across many different paths.  

• The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History has for over half a century been a leading institution dedicated to the African American experience. Groups that meet before Aug. 22 have a chance to see the impressive King Tutankhamun exhibit. Several rooms and spaces are available for private rental.
• The Detroit Institute of Arts includes more than 100 galleries, making it one of the country’s premier venues to experience renowned works. It can accommodate 500 attendees for a reception or 350 for a banquet and has 11 meeting rooms to break into small groups.

 

9. Buildings to Behold

  Looking for an interactive experience that will build social media buzz? Create an architecture scavenger hunt. From the Mason Temple to the historic Fox Theatre, Detroit has a collection of buildings well worth visiting. An Instagram-based contest would not only create engagement but also serve as an educational component to your event, complete with a lesson on building long-lasting foundations within your organization.    

10. Location and Transportation

  In the heart of America’s heartland, Detroit is one of the country’s most accessible destinations, regardless of where your attendees are coming from. As a Delta hub, Detroit Metro Airport has 140 direct flights each day and is only 20 minutes from downtown. Once in town, you don’t need a car. Consider these options:  

• The Detroit People Mover is an elevated trail that offers easy transportation downtown.
• The Qline streetcar system travels Woodward Avenue from downtown to Midtown.
• If you’re looking to see the city from ground level, you can rent a bike or scooter.

 

Detroit Sports Commission to Host “Wrestling Fan Jam” during the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

    The Detroit Sports Commission (DSC) is hosting “Wrestling Fan Jam” on Saturday, March 19 from 2-5 p.m. at Cass Technical High School to celebrate the sport of wrestling, share the excitement of the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships with the Greater Detroit community and support youth wrestling in metro Detroit.   This new program is scheduled from 2-5 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 1 p.m. The event is designed to showcase wrestling to the Detroit community, wrestling community, youth wrestling programs, schools and championships fans. “Wrestling Fan Jam” will provide attendees with a full schedule consisting of activities, exhibits, an autograph session, and sessions, including:  

• A conversation with high school and NCAA coaches, including R.J. Boudro, head coach of 9-time state champion Lowell High School, and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Jamill Kelly, as well as University of North Carolina’s assistant coach and others.
• The opportunity to attend a USA Wrestling practice featuring women’s and men’s national team members
• A panel titled “How to Start and Sustain a Successful Wrestling Program” featuring Executive Director of Beat the Streets Detroit Mindy Herrmann, National Wrestling Hall of Fame member and Founder/President of Inner City Wrestling in Miami Wilbert Johnson and others.
• A youth wrestling demonstration on training techniques hosted by the Black Wrestling Association
• Insight on Saturday night’s NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships match-ups provided by ESPN USA Takedown Analysts Caleb Nemmers and Steve Foster as well as National Wrestling Hall of Fame member Nate Carr.

  “With the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships taking place in Detroit this year, we knew we had to plan something spectacular for the Detroit community to share in the excitement and buzz surrounding the tournament,” said Detroit Sports Commission Executive Director Dave Beachnau. “Detroit is known for many things, including our world-class venues and long history of hosting major sports events. Together, with DPSCD and supporting Detroit partners, we’re committed to adding wresting to the long list of what makes Detroit a prime location for athletics.”   The 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place from Thursday, March 17 to Saturday, March 19 at Little Caesars Arena. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.ncaa.com/wrestling.   For more information about “Wrestling Community Day,” please visit the Detroit Sports Commission’s website or follow the event on Facebook.

The city of Detroit is reaching out to travellers across the pond. Detroit has signalled commitment to the UK and Irish markets in 2022 to ensure international tourism continues to recover. "We are delighted to be working with our partners in the UK and Ireland on projects to support the travel industry, with opportunities for marketing, supporting events and bringing Detroit to the forefront of the minds of international travellers in this vital market," Jennifer Ollinger the International Marketing Manager at the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau said. This year sees the city marking the next chapter of its regeneration, with the refurbishment and expansion of the Motown Museum nearing a conclusion. It will see the Museum re-opening in time for the mid-summer season. Opening of several brand-new hotels, completion of final phases of the riverfront and the projected completion of the Michigan Central Station redevelopment in Corktown are just some of the highlights over the course of the next several months. "Being able to set a marketing budget is remarkable after the last two years but it demonstrates that the city has serious intentions and values our UK and Irish partners," Ollinger added. "We are excited by some of the opportunities that our representation have developed on our behalf and look forward to welcoming friends old and new to Detroit" The opening up of air corridors into the US following the pandemic and the easing of restrictions make it an ideal time to support travel professionals with training, and co-operative marketing through Detroit's UK and Irish representatives, Cellet Marketing and Public Relations Limited."

Detroit faces many of the challenges of cities around the world in the post Covid world but they are already on the way to restoring former fortunes. Claud Molinari the CEO of local CVB Visit Detroit explains how and why they will be building back better than before.