MANITOULIN—The 2018 edition of Manitoulin Island’s venerable tourism guide, ‘This is Manitoulin,’ was printed in late February and, since then, has been spreading the good news about Manitoulin at specialized sports and travel shows and at busy information centres across Ontario.
‘This is Manitoulin’ is published by the Manitoulin Publishing Co. Ltd. (as is this newspaper and the Manitoulin West Recorder) and the publisher is keenly aware of the responsibility of producing an annual magazine that represents Manitoulin to as broad an audience as possible.
“We have stories this year,” notes publisher Alicia McCutcheon, “on the international importance of the Sheguiandah archaeological site (and the new interactive display at the nearby Centennial Museum of Sheguiandah).”
The important work of Manitoulin Streams is highlighted using the Norton’s Creek rehabilitation in the Bidwell area, an interesting tale that juxtaposes the visions of two men a century apart, one American and the other Canadian, against the stream’s recent improvement as a brook trout breeding sanctuary.
“Debajehmujig Theatre is turning 35 so the magazine profiles its past and looks at its future as a unique phenomenon,” Ms. McCutcheon explains.
And there are stories about lighthouses, the cooperative venture that kept the Cup and Saucer hiking trail open without a hitch, “and a great deal more,” Ms. McCutcheon adds.
So far, the magazine has been a major player at the Toronto International Bicycle Show that the Manitoulin Island Cycling Advocates attend annually.
Two weeks ago, ‘This is Manitoulin’ had a booth on Manitoulin Island’s behalf at the Sudbury Sportsman Show (as did the Northeast Town) and myriad copies of the magazine were distributed at each booth.
This year’s edition features the completely decorated Chi-Cheemaun hull on the front cover, complete with a nice reflection of the art in the Georgian Bay waters.
This feature made the magazine particularly popular at the Collingwood Sportsman’s Show at the end of March.
As soon as the ferry begins, the publishers will deliver 5,300 copies to the Tobermory visitors’ centre and the rest of the pressrun of 57,000 copies has already been spoken for and allocated, including the home delivery in early May of 10,500 copies to households with incomes in “a certain category” in the Cambridge area. (Last year, this particular part of the distribution was in Waterloo Region and, in 2016, it was in Chatham–Kent.)
‘This is Manitoulin’ is a guide book for potential tourists that has a particular focus on accommodations for visitors as well as events and activities.
In fact, on Monday of this week, The Expositor Office had a telephone call from Calgary from someone who will be on Manitoulin for the first time this summer. She’d heard about the publication and requested a copy.
It’s in the mail right now.
