ST JOSEPH TODAY ASSOCIATION

What ST JOSEPH TODAY ASSOCIATION does

St. Joseph Today Association, operating as "St. Joe Today," is a private tourism marketing organization (destination marketing organization, or DMO) serving as the official visitor-promotion entity for St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, and the surrounding Southwest Michigan region. The organization operates the Welcome Center at 301 State Street in St. Joseph, Michigan, providing in-person visitor information, maps, event details, and lighthouse tour ticket sales, and it manages a portfolio of recurring events including St. Joe Lighthouse Tours (Saturdays May through September, $5/person tower climbs), the St. Joe Farmers Market, Antiques on the Bluff, Downtown Spooktacular, Luminary, and the Reindog Parade. It also co-sponsors civic programming with the City of St. Joseph, including the Memorial Day Parade, Fourth of July fireworks, and Light Up the Bluff.

The core product is a curated digital tourism platform combining a comprehensive member business directory organized across Eat, Shop, Stay, and Play categories (with hundreds of sub-categorized listings), an event calendar, and downloadable seasonal guides (Summer Guide, Downtown Map & Directory, Pet Friendly Guide). Underlying technology is a standard content-managed website (stjoetoday.com) supplemented by Facebook, Instagram, Constant Contact e-newsletters, and PDF resources — there are no proprietary platforms, APIs, or AI capabilities disclosed.

The business model is membership-based: local businesses pay recurring membership fees to gain visibility through the directory, guide inclusion, and event promotion. Revenue is supplemented by lighthouse tour ticket sales, corporate event sponsorships (AEP/Cook Nuclear, Honor Credit Union), donations, and likely municipal or chamber support. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is event-driven and partnership-led, with a multi-channel marketing approach combining the website, social media, email, seasonal events, downloadable guides, and co-branded regional partnerships (Visit Southwest Michigan, Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber). The organization serves two primary customer segments: out-of-town tourism visitors (free users) and member businesses (paying), with local residents as a tertiary audience.

Name

ST JOSEPH TODAY ASSOCIATION

Legal name

St. Joe Today

Website

https://stjoetoday.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

St. Joseph Today Association is a private destination marketing organization that operates the official Welcome Center, manages a portfolio of seasonal community events, and curates a 300+ member business directory for tourism promotion in the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor area of Southwest Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Joseph

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Local businesses pay to become members, gaining visibility on the St. Joe Today platform, inclusion in guides, and promotion at events. The membership page (/other-information/become-a-member) indicates a formal membership program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St. Joseph Today Association operates the official Welcome Center and serves as the primary tourism marketing organization for the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor area in Southwest Michigan. It runs a member business directory spanning Eat, Shop, Stay, and Play categories, promotes a calendar of community events (lighthouse tours, farmers markets, seasonal festivals), sells lighthouse tower climb tickets, and publishes downloadable seasonal guides and maps. Revenue is driven by business memberships, event sponsorships, and visitor engagement services.

Product overview

St. Joseph Today (St. Joe Today) is a tourism marketing organization serving as the primary welcome center and promotional platform for St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, and Southwest Michigan. The organization operates a unified platform combining a Welcome Center visitor service, a member business directory spanning restaurants, shops, accommodations, and attractions, an event calendar featuring local happenings and seasonal festivals, and guided St. Joe Lighthouse Tours. Additional offerings include downloadable seasonal guides and maps, vendor information resources, and community event support including Downtown Spooktacular, Luminary, and holiday celebrations. The organization functions as a membership-based tourism hub connecting visitors with local businesses rather than offering a traditional technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• St. Joe Today Welcome Center A physical visitor information center at 301 State Street, St. Joseph, MI, providing in-person tourism information, maps, lighthouse tour ticket sales, and event details for St. Joseph/Benton Harbor visitors. Open Monday-Friday 9a-5p, Saturday 11a-4p, Sunday 12p-4p.
• Member Business Directory A comprehensive online directory of over 300 member businesses organized by category (Eat, Shop, Stay, Play) featuring restaurants, retail shops, accommodations, attractions, and area services throughout St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, and surrounding Southwest Michigan communities.
• Event Promotion and Calendar Promotion and ticketing service for local events including St. Joe Lighthouse Tours, Farmers Market, Antiques on the Bluff, Family Night in the Plaza, seasonal festivals, and community gatherings throughout the year.
• St. Joe Lighthouse Tours Weekly lighthouse tours at the St. Joseph North Pier Inner Light running Saturdays May through September, offering free first-floor exhibits and paid tower climbs at $5 per person, plus guided pier tours and monthly educational lighthouse presentations.
• Seasonal Guides and Maps Downloadable tourism guides including the Summer Guide, Downtown Map and Directory, and Pet Friendly Guide providing visitors with curated recommendations and maps for the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor area.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Visit Southwest MichigancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership providing coordinated marketing for Southwest Michigan. Collaborates on the Shop & Shore Trolley service running Thursday-Monday from 9a-9p through September 7, offering free transportation throughout downtown St. Joe and Benton Harbor.
• Southwest Michigan Regional ChambercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsors Countdown to New Year promotion, supporting gift card giveaway program for member businesses. Joint marketing initiatives for Small Business Saturday and other community events.
• City of St. JosephcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on community events including Memorial Day Parade, Fourth of July fireworks, Light Up the Bluff holiday lighting, and municipal band concerts. City co-sponsors events and provides support for public spaces.
• Berrien County Historical AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on historical programming including presentations at the St. Joseph North Pier Inner Lighthouse and educational events showcasing local history.
• AEP/Cook NuclearminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing funding for downtown holiday lighting decorations during Spooktacular and holiday events.
• Lest We ForgetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship organization for Memorial Day Parade and various community events. Provides support for veteran recognition activities.
• Honor Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Jammin' in the Viewyard at Round Barn Winery and United Way Rock the Boat event. Provides financial support for community programming.
• United States Lighthouse SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides U.S. Lighthouse Society Passport stamping program at the St. Joe Today Welcome Center. Supports lighthouse tourism and preservation awareness.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Michigan Economic Development Corporation: State-level economic development and tourism body that operates Pure Michigan and partners with regional DMOs statewide. Sets the strategic and funding context within which St. Joe Today operates.

Direct peers

• Travel Marquette: DMO for Marquette County in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Comparable member-based tourism marketing structure serving a defined Michigan destination region.
• Holland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau: DMO for Holland, Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Comparable coastal-Michigan DMO with member-based directory, event calendar, and seasonal tourism focus.
• Visit Muskegon: DMO for Muskegon County on Lake Michigan's eastern shore. Comparable scale, member-based structure, beach/summer tourism focus, and visitor services.
• Traverse City Tourism: DMO serving the Traverse City region of Northern Michigan. Comparable seasonal tourism focus, member directory, and event programming centered on a single Michigan destination.
• Experience Grand Rapids: Convention & Visitors Bureau / DMO for the Grand Rapids area. Operates a member-based model promoting dining, lodging, events, and attractions - directly comparable DMO structure and revenue mix to St. Joe Today.
• Visit Southwest Michigan: Regional DMO covering Southwest Michigan; overlapping visitor information, marketing, and event-promotion remit with St. Joe Today. Operates the Shop & Shore Trolley and broader regional campaigns targeting the same visitor base.
• Discover Kalamazoo: Regional DMO for Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Comparable scale, member-based directory, event calendar, and visitor-center operations in the same Michigan tourism ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Visit Detroit: Major Michigan DMO serving metro Detroit. Operates at materially larger scale but provides a reference point for a tiered DMO ecosystem where St. Joe Today sits at the regional/local level.
• Pure Michigan: State-level destination marketing brand run by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Provides statewide tourism promotion, content, and media buys that St. Joe Today effectively plugs into as a regional node.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stjoetoday
• Instagraminstagram.com/stjoetoday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-joseph-today-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ST JOSEPH TODAY ASSOCIATION