Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA) was formed in 1991 as a marketing driven association. Our main purpose is to increase awareness of snowsports such as skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing in Michigan and to introduce new individuals to the sport.
Our efforts are designed to benefit all travel and tourism business in the industry, including ski areas, ski shops, manufacturer’s representatives and related businesses.
MSIA keeps abreast of legislative issues that affect our industry and notifies members when action is needed. MSIA retains the respected lobbying firm Muchmore, Harrington Smalley & Associates to represent our interests. Furthermore, MSIA’s Executive Director Mickey MacWilliams, sits on numerous Michigan travel and tourism boards and committees, is a registered lobbyist and is your voice regarding snowsports issues. Help us help the industry by donating now!
Since 1991, this popular learn-to-ski program has introduced over 100,000 people to skiing and snowboarding. Working with McDonald’s restaurants as our partner, information about Discover Michigan Skiing is printed on over 500,000 McDonald’s trayliners and over 750,000 vouchers distributed in the restaurants each year. MSIA also partners with Booth Newspapers to promote the program.
In 1998, we began School Ski Days, a program to encourage school field trips to ski areas. Five years ago we added a statewide 4th grade passport program designed to get 4th graders, accompanied by adults, out to the slopes. In 2016 we added 5th grade. The passport is a coupon book that entitles 4th and 5th graders to ski or snowboard free two-three times at each participating area. The passport is intended to solidify skiing as a family recreational activity that these kids will take with them for their lifetime. We are proud to say that the program has been very well received and it has generated a great deal of excitement in the industry.
Each season MSIA sends a press kit to reporters, describing the new activities on our slopes and in our shops. Many writers eagerly await our kits each fall, because it makes their jobs much easier. Throughout the season MSIA also sends numerous news releases regarding relevant ski and snowboard issues.
Our primary source of funding, the White Gold Card is also a great promotional tool, generating countless newspaper and magazine stories, and radio and television interviews. The cards sell for $269 and allows purchasers to ski one time at each of the participating MSIA-member ski areas. Ski shops also agree to provide one free ski tune-up per card. MSIA is limited to selling 400 cards per year.
One of the chief complaints of our members is the fact that radio and television reporters tend to say negative things about cold weather and snow. They make “cute” remarks about heading south when the weather turns cold.
To counteract this, MSIA issues faxes and emails to the broadcast media throughout the winter. Our message is a kind reminder that Michigan is a winter wonderland and should be looked at with a positive attitude. We also send sample faxes to our members, along with a list of fax numbers for radio and television stations across the state. We ask members to pull out a fax and send it each time they hear negative comments on the air about our weather. The effort has really made a difference! Reporters are getting the idea and we have seen a gradual increase in positive weather reporting.
Check out MSIA’s website. It’s an interesting site with links to ski areas, ski shops, ski manufacturers and ski conditions. The website is geared to skiers of all ages. It provides information on our programs and our member ski areas and shops. The website also features a special Internet “Events & Discounts” button. MSIA members can post their own special offers on the site, and change their message as often as they like. Plus, we provide a direct link from MSIA’s site to member sites. Since goskimichigan. com is one of the top sites on the major search engines when looking for skiing in Michigan, this is a valuable tool for you!
MSIA partners with Travel Michigan to produce a co-op ad campaign to promote snowsports – both in-state and to our surrounding states.
The MSIA meets every summer at a member resort for an informational meeting, lunch, golf and a cocktail reception. Besides being an excellent opportunity to get to know others in our industry, it’s a chance to make an impact on MSIA decisions.
MSIA mails packets of ski-related material to everyone who participates in Discover Michigan Skiing. All current MSIA members are invited to include information in this mailing by sending a flyer or brochure to MSIA’s mail house. Packets are then stuffed and sent to the approximately 5,000 households of Discover Michigan participants. The best part is that this is a free benefit to all MSIA members! To mail to all these new skiers yourself, the cost of postage alone would be a lot more than the price of your yearly MSIA membership.
We’re working hard to promote the sport we all love, but we can’t do it without a strong and active membership. We thank you for becoming an MSIA member and look forward to working with you in the coming season.
You can pay your annual membership using our secure payment gateway. Please select your membership category below.
Please consider making a donation to MSIA’s Lobby Fund. Suggested donations are as follows: