The Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau has paid its major financial obligations, a $149,000 line of credit and a six-month note for $50,000. Also, the mortgage on its building on US-23 for $39,000 was retired Friday, October 31, reported Bill Bertchinger, the organization's chairman. All the debt was with National City Bank of Mackinaw City.

The effort to restructure the bureau's finances started in January. When a new board of directors took over almost a year ago, Mr. Bertchinger explained, "We decided to make changes, and we made those changes. We decided to break the pattern we were in."

The bureau has an operating budget of about $1.2 million from several sources, a 2% village lodging assessment, dues, its share of such events as June's Red Hats Extravaganza, and tour packages it puts together for visitors. Lodging assessments were down about 4% this year from last year, Mr. Bertchinger said.

Now debt free, the bureau can direct its funds toward advertising and the Internet to attract visitors to Mackinaw City.

"We're in a much better position to meet the challenges of 2009 and beyond," said Mr. Bertchinger. "We'll be able to advertise in markets that are much farther away."

For the first time, the bureau will be advertising in newspapers in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as longtime markets in Michigan in newspapers and magazines like AAA Living. The bureau uses eight toll free numbers to track advertising effectiveness. Advertising copy and design are executed by the bureau's staff.