What Visit Michigan City LaPorte does

Visit Michigan City LaPorte is the destination marketing organization (Convention & Visitors Bureau) for LaPorte County, Indiana. Legally known as the LaPorte County Convention & Visitors Bureau, it was established in 1979 by Indiana state statute as a special purpose governmental unit and rebranded under its current name in 2009. The organization is funded by a 5% Innkeepers Tax collected from guests staying at lodging establishments within LaPorte County, giving it a tax-funded, non-profit revenue model rather than a fee-for-service or product-sales structure.

The organization's core offering is a portfolio of destination marketing and visitor information services, delivered through a physical Visitors Center at Marquette Mall in Michigan City and a comprehensive website at michigancitylaporte.com. Services include a comprehensive events calendar, attraction and lodging directories, group and meeting venue coordination, wedding and rehearsal dinner planning assistance, sports tournament hosting promotion, media and press resources, blog content, and a newsletter subscription service. The technology stack is essentially a content management system with directory-style listings and social media distribution across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube; there are no proprietary AI or software products. Its go-to-market is event-driven, anchored by recurring annual events such as the XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix powerboat race, and it distributes through partnerships with Visit Indiana (state tourism) and Indiana's Cool North (regional tourism).

The organization's primary customer segments are leisure travelers and group/meeting planners, with secondary segments in sports tourism groups. It is governed by a Board of Managers with appointees from the City of LaPorte, City of Michigan City, and LaPorte County, and is led by CEO Jack Arnett, Executive Director Dan Bearss, and CFO Gail Johnson alongside approximately 18 additional directors and board members. As a government entity, it has no external investors and is not subject to conventional PE/VC ownership structures.

Name

Visit Michigan City LaPorte

Legal name

LaPorte County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Website

https://michigancitylaporte.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Visit Michigan City LaPorte is the statutory Convention & Visitors Bureau for LaPorte County, Indiana, funded by a 5% Innkeepers Tax. It promotes tourism through event marketing, a website with attractions and lodging directories, visitor center operations, and partnerships with Visit Indiana and Indiana's Cool North, serving leisure travelers and group meeting planners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Convention visitors bureau
• Tourism promotion services
• Visitor information directory
• Group meeting coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Michigan City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Innkeepers Tax: The LaPorte County Convention and Visitors Bureau is funded by a 5% Innkeepers Tax collected from guests staying at accommodations within the county. This is a mandatory tax that flows to the CVB to fund destination marketing and tourism promotion activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Visit Michigan City LaPorte is the official Convention and Visitors Bureau for LaPorte County, Indiana, providing destination marketing and visitor services to promote tourism to the region. The organization curates comprehensive directories of attractions, accommodations, dining, events, and recreation; coordinates group meetings, weddings, and sports tournaments; and operates a visitors center and digital destination guide. Services are offered free of charge to travelers and tourism industry partners.

Product overview

Visit Michigan City LaPorte operates as a destination marketing organization (Convention & Visitors Bureau) for LaPorte County, Indiana. The organization offers a unified platform of tourism promotion services including a comprehensive website with event calendars, attraction directories, visitor planning resources, and group/meeting coordination assistance. Rather than a software product, the portfolio consists of informational services organized by category: attractions and things to do, arts and culture, recreation activities, self-care and wellness, dining options, shopping destinations, and accommodation listings. Additional services include media resources for press, wedding and event planning assistance, sports tournament hosting coordination, and digital communications via newsletters and visitors guides. The organization was established in 1979 as the LaPorte County Convention & Visitors Bureau and rebranded in 2009.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visitor Information Services Provides visitors and residents with travel planning resources, visitors guides, maps, and local area information to facilitate trip planning to Michigan City and LaPorte County, Indiana.
• Events Calendar & Directory Comprehensive listing of year-round events including festivals, concerts, sports tournaments, and community activities throughout LaPorte County.
• Group & Meeting Venue Coordination Assists with planning corporate meetings, conferences, and group events by connecting organizers with local venues including ballrooms, hotels, and event centers.
• Sports Facilities Promotion Promotes sports venues and facilities for hosting tournaments in football, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, volleyball, and golf throughout the county.
• Wedding & Rehearsal Dinner Planning Connects couples with wedding and reception venues including beaches, mansions, ballrooms, and outdoor settings throughout the area.
• Media & Press Resources Provides press releases, image library, and video assets for media professionals covering Michigan City LaPorte destinations and events.
• Blog Content & Travel Guides Articles and blog posts featuring local attractions, dining, outdoor activities, and seasonal travel inspiration for visitors.
• Attractions Directory Detailed listings of local attractions including Indiana Dunes National Park, Blue Chip Casino, Washington Park Beach, lighthouse, zoo, museums, and historical sites.
• Arts & Culture Directory Features local theaters, art galleries, studios, and music venues showcasing talent from the area and Chicago region.
• Recreation Activities Guide Promotes outdoor recreation including charter fishing, golf courses, parks, hiking trails, cycling routes, and water sports.
• Self-Care & Wellness Directory Features spas, salons, fitness centers, and wellness services for visitors seeking relaxation during their stay.
• Dining & Nightlife Guide Promotes local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and nightlife entertainment options across the county.
• Accommodations Directory Lists hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, campgrounds, resorts, and vacation homes for visitor lodging.
• Shopping Destinations Guide Highlights retail options including Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets with over 100 stores, boutiques, antique shops, and local artisan stores.
• Newsletter & Visitor Guide Subscription Email subscription service providing vacation ideas, promotions, and current news about events and attractions.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Visit IndianacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Indiana state tourism organization partnership. Visit Michigan City LaPorte is featured on the state tourism website and participates in statewide tourism marketing initiatives.
• Indiana's Cool NorthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership promoting Northern Indiana destinations including Michigan City LaPorte. Collaborative marketing initiative for the Lake Michigan shoreline corridor.
• XINSURANCEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTitle sponsor of the Great Lakes Grand Prix powerboat race event. Celebrating 15 years on the southern shores of Lake Michigan. Major annual event drawing thousands of spectators.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Visit Indy: Indianapolis's destination marketing organization is a larger but structurally analogous Indiana CVB funded by innkeepers taxes and promoting conventions, sports, and leisure tourism.
• Visit Lake County Indiana: Lake County, Indiana's CVB is a near-identical single-county DMO serving a Chicago-adjacent market with similar lodging-tax funding and visitor-center operating model.
• Visit Fort Wayne: Indiana county-level CVB responsible for promoting Fort Wayne as a leisure, sports, and convention destination, comparable in mission, funding model, and stakeholder structure.
• Explore Elkhart County: Elkhart County's tourism promotion organization mirrors the LaPorte CVB in scope — a northern Indiana county DMO with similar funding structure and group/leisure visitor orientation.
• Visit Holland: Holland, Michigan's CVB promotes a comparable small Lake Michigan beach-and-outdoor destination with similar lodging-tax funding and four-season recreational positioning.
• Visit Duluth: Duluth's CVB operates a comparable destination marketing model for a Lake Superior waterfront city anchored by natural scenery and outdoor recreation — a strong analog to Michigan City LaPorte's lake-and-park positioning.
• Visit South Bend Mishawaka: St. Joseph County's destination marketing organization in Indiana, operating a comparable CVB model funded by an innkeepers tax and promoting hotels, dining, and attractions to leisure and group segments in northern Indiana.

Broad incumbents

• Visit Indiana: Indiana's official state tourism DMO partners with and amplifies Visit Michigan City LaPorte. It is a broader-scope incumbent that provides statewide distribution and brand reach for the destination.
• Pure Michigan (Travel Michigan): Michigan's statewide tourism marketing brand, a broader incumbent that competes for Lake Michigan visitor attention across the state border and is a comparable destination brand-building organization at greater scale.

Regional players

• Indiana's Cool North: A multi-county regional tourism partnership in northern Indiana of which Visit Michigan City LaPorte is a participating member, pursuing collaborative Lake Michigan shoreline marketing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MichCityLaPorte
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MichiganCityLaPorte
• Facebookfacebook.com/MichiganCityLaPorte
• Instagraminstagram.com/VisitMichiganCityLaPorte

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Visit Michigan City LaPorte