Destination Toledo’s objective with The Great Lake Erie Birding Trail is to tell the larger story of great birding in the entire western basin, including Michigan and Canada, making TGLEBT international. Our goal is to position Toledo as the birding hub to day trip out to these great birding hotspots that are lesser publicized and stays within our strategy of regionalism.
TGLEBT is a mobile passport where users can check into a total of 38 birding sites using their cell phone. The target audience is casual to avid birders who like to travel including couples, friends and families. There was not an existing tool for birders to use that includes a) a diverse list of sites located in the western basin of Lake Erie, one of the best birding regions in the country, b) a GPS location tracking device that helps locate hard-to-find sites, c) a way for individuals to digitally track their stops.
When someone reaches 15 check-ins they are mailed a unique commemorative birding pin in a printed 3-panel accordion folded piece that thanks them for going on the adventure.
The Great Lake Erie Birding Trail web page was set up at VisitToledo.org and encourages birders to sign up for the free mobile passport. Table tents were created with a QR Code leading birders directly to the website to sign up for the free mobile pass. These pieces were distributed to all birding sites on the trail.
RESULTS
The inaugural year of The Great Lake Erie Birding Trail was launched in March, just in time for the 2022 spring birding migration. The total pass sign-ups to date are 269 with a total number of check-ins at 192 since April 2022.
