PUT-IN-BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

What PUT-IN-BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE does

The Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce operates as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) and tourism bureau for Put-in-Bay, Ohio, located on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The nonprofit organization serves as the primary information hub for the destination, which receives over 750,000 tourists annually, and it does so through a suite of interconnected digital products: the official tourism website (visitputinbay.com), an annual downloadable island guide (2026 edition in circulation), a curated event calendar accepting community submissions, a downloadable media kit with licensed brand assets, an associate business member directory, and direct visitor inquiry handling. Its core "technology" is not proprietary software but rather a destination-marketing platform comprising a content-managed website, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube, TikTok), an email newsletter, and a physical office at 148 Delaware Ave. The organization serves two distinct segments: end-consumer tourists planning Lake Erie island getaways, and local island businesses seeking marketing exposure to those visitors.

The chamber monetizes primarily through associate membership fees paid by more than 40 local businesses (hotels, restaurants, attractions, retailers, services), supplemented by advertising and promotional placements on the website and media-asset licensing for editorial/commercial reuse (gated through written permission and a dedicated marketing inbox). Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed; the billing cadence is annual. There is no transactional commerce on the chamber's site — bookings are referrals to member businesses. GTM motion is event-driven and direct-to-consumer: content marketing drives trip-planning visits, social media sustains awareness, and the event calendar generates mid-funnel engagement around seasonal regattas, festivals, and community activities.

Strategically, the organization functions as a quasi-public utility for the destination — its authority derives from official designation, not competitive technology. Key external relationships include the Village of Put-in-Bay, Put-in-Bay Township (Ohio's largest township at 108,344.47 acres governing 14 islands), Shores & Islands Ohio (the regional DMO), the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation, OSU Stone Lab, the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, the Inter-Lake Yachting Association, and a digital implementation partnership with Gold Gorilla Media. The chamber has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, no M&A activity, and no executive leadership team listed in available sources — consistent with a small-staff nonprofit operating model (1–10 employees).

Name

PUT-IN-BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Legal name

Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://visitputinbay.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce is the official tourism bureau and nonprofit destination marketing organization for Put-in-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island, Lake Erie. It serves 750,000+ annual tourists and 40+ local member businesses through its website, event calendar, island guide, media kit, and member directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Tourism Promotion

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Shore Excursion & Port Services Operators (THAKAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Day-Cruise & Excursion Boat Operators (Non-overnight) (THAEAGAG)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Tourism promotion
• Visitor information
• Island events calendar
• Business directory

Headquarters

HQ city

Put In Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Associate Membership Fees: Local businesses pay to become associate members of the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, gaining visibility on the chamber's official tourism website and directory listings.
2. Media Kit Licensing: The chamber provides media assets (logos, photos, videos) for editorial use, with commercial licensing requiring written permission and contact at [email protected].
3. Advertising and Promotional Services: Featured business listings and banner advertisements on the tourism website generate revenue from member businesses seeking visibility with island visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce operates as the official tourism bureau for Put-in-Bay, Ohio (South Bass Island on Lake Erie), delivering destination marketing, visitor information services, an annual island guide/map, event calendar management, an associate member business directory, and promotional media assets to over 750,000 annual visitors and 40+ island member businesses. It functions as a private nonprofit DMO that promotes local accommodations, dining, attractions, shopping, transportation, and community events while coordinating tourism partnerships with regional organizations.

Product overview

Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce (Official Put-in-Bay Tourism Bureau) operates as a destination marketing organization for South Bass Island, Ohio on Lake Erie. The organization provides a unified tourism platform consisting of the official website with visitor information, an annual island guide PDF, a downloadable media kit with brand assets, a comprehensive event calendar, an associate business members directory, and visitor inquiry/contact services. These interconnected offerings work together to promote the island as a premier Lake Erie vacation destination serving over 750,000 annual tourists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Put-in-Bay Official Tourism Bureau Website

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 750,000 tourists served annually through visitor information services

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shores & Islands OhiocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism marketing partnership with Shores & Islands Ohio, the official DMO for the Lake Erie shoreline region. The bureau is featured on the Shores & Islands Ohio website and participates in regional tourism promotion efforts.
• Ottawa County Improvement Corporation (OCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OCIC serves as the lead economic development agency for Ottawa County, advancing and promoting industrial, economic, commercial, and civic development. Partnership supports island economic growth initiatives.
• Ohio State University/Stone LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU Stone Lab is The Ohio State University's island campus on Lake Erie, hosting 20 college-credit courses and resume-building workshops on South Bass Island. Located at 878 Bayview Ave.
• Great Lakes Islands AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of Great Lakes island communities sharing best practices for addressing common challenges including access to public services, diversified economy support, and natural resource management.
• Lake Erie Islands ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand conservancy based on the Lake Erie Islands whose mission is to encourage conservation and protection of natural and agricultural lands for this and future generations.
• Inter-Lake Yachting Association (I-LYA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerI-LYA's basic purpose is the protection and promotion of the interests of boat owners and water-sports fans. Hosts annual regatta events at Put-in-Bay including the I-LYA Power Regatta and I-LYA Sail Regatta.
• Village of Put-in-BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial municipal partnership with the Village of Put-in-Bay located at 435 Catawba Ave. The village receives over 750,000 tourists annually and is a major stakeholder in island tourism.
• Put-in-Bay TownshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPut-in-Bay Township is Ohio's largest township (108,344.47 acres) and governs 14 islands, 5 of which are inhabited. Located at 624 Trenton Ave.
• Gold Gorilla MediacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite development and digital marketing partner responsible for the tourism bureau's website and digital presence. Located at 124 Buckeye Blvd.
• Kelleys Island Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighboring island chamber promoting cross-island tourism. Located at 104 Division Street, Kelleys Island, OH 43438.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Visit Florida: Official state tourism marketing corporation with destination marketing, member directory, and event calendar at materially larger scale. Represents the broader incumbent DMO category that frames the operating archetype for destination marketing organizations.
• Pure Michigan: State-level destination marketing campaign for Michigan tourism, including Lake Erie coastal destinations. A broader-scope DMO that competes for the same Great Lakes visitor pool at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Visit Napa Valley: Destination marketing organization promoting a single-region tourism economy via member business directory, event calendar, and digital content strategy — a model closely parallel to Put-in-Bay's chamber and tourism bureau structure.
• Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau: Destination marketing organization for Galveston Island, Texas, providing visitor information, event calendar, and a member business directory. Closely analogous business model and product set to the Put-in-Bay Chamber.
• Mackinac Island Visitors Bureau: Official tourism marketing organization for Mackinac Island, Michigan — a Great Lakes island destination with a comparable non-vehicle-accessible tourism model, member-based business directory, ferry-dependent access, and seasonal visitor focus.
• Outer Banks Visitors Bureau (Visit OBX): Destination marketing organization for the Outer Banks of North Carolina serving visitors through a member directory, event calendar, and visitor information portal structurally similar to Put-in-Bay's offering.
• Shores & Islands Ohio: Regional Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the Lake Erie shoreline and core GTM partner of the Put-in-Bay Chamber. Operates the same destination-marketing model with a business directory, event listings, and member-based structure at a broader regional scope.
• Kelleys Island Chamber of Commerce: Neighboring Lake Erie island chamber of commerce explicitly partnered with Put-in-Bay for cross-island tourism. Operates the official visitor information source for Kelleys Island, OH using a comparable DMO model, business directory, and event calendar.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/visitputinbay
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVZX6AKBjAszRv4OHYTBYDQ/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/visitputinbay
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitputinbay
• TikToktiktok.com/@visit_putinbay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/put-in-bay-chamber-of-commerce

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 PUT-IN-BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE