in this issue WHALE WATCHING BY BUS? CAPE COD CHAMBER'S NEW SMART GUIDE EXPLAINS HOW Travel Industry of America - Pow Wow 2003 Nominations Sought for Business Excellence Awards Outlook 2004 - Cape Cod RIBBON CUTTING TO BE HELD FOR MID-CAPE HOME CENTERS NEW SHOWROOM Contacts for Businesses on Avoiding Hiring Hazards Cape Cod Radio Promotion in Full Swing

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WHALE WATCHING BY BUS? CAPE COD CHAMBER'S NEW SMART GUIDE EXPLAINS HOW

The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce's 2003 edition of Smart Guide recommends sharing the ride to Provincetown and Barnstable Harbor to catch whale watch cruises and help reduce traffic congestion on Rtes. 6 and 6A.

That's one of many car-free travel choices offered in the fifth edition of the colorful, 24-page guidebook. Filled with maps, toll free phone numbers and Web addresses for airlines, ferries, bus companies and public transit agencies that serve the Cape and Islands, Smart Guide also has expanded information on bicycling to work and to seasonal attractions. It's advertising- free and available at no cost.

Smart Guide also has an updated, companion Web site version featuring an updated travel planner that displays car-free travel choices when the user enters origin and destination points. In addition to providing routes to the Cape and the Islands, the site gives travel choices for getting around the Cape and Islands.

Smart Guide is underwritten by the Cape Cod Chamber, the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and nine other public and private partners.

About 175,000 copies of the handbook were printed; some 120,000 will be home delivered in the metro Boston area and on Cape Cod later this month in local editions of the Community Newspapers. "We want to reach visitors with Smart Guide before they come to the Cape," explained Northcross. "We also urge people who live here to encourage their visitors to travel smartly."

Smart Guide is also available at libraries, town halls and town chambers - as well as in brochure racks everywhere. For a free copy, call the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce at 888 33-CapeCod.

Check out the website

	Travel Industry of America - Pow Wow 2003
Every spring close to 6000 participants from 70 countries around the world gather for five days of intensive pre-scheduled appointments, educational seminars, and social events. TIA's International Pow Wow is the biggest and best place for suppliers of US travel and tourism products and destinations to meet with international tour and travel operators, who are looking to purchase and learn more about product development. Pow Wow also hosts more than 200 international journalists who use the occasion to write stories about US destinations and travel trends. The Cape Cod Chamber will again be participating in this important show and you can be a part of it. For $100 I will take your brochures (you must be a member in good standing with the Cape Cod Chamber) with me to St. Louis for distribution at the show and post-show follow- up contacts. If you would like to get your brochures overseas, please forward 150 brochures and your check for $100 to my office no later than Monday, May 5, 2003. Any questions, please call Arthur Ratsy at 508-862-0700 ext 512.

	Nominations Sought for Business Excellence Awards
Awards will be made in five categories for companies, organizations or individuals who demonstrate the following: excellence in public service, professional contributions, community commitment, customer service, workplace innovation, leadership, job creation, perseverance or any other special documented achievements. The five categories are: Hospitality & Recreation Services Health Care Retail & Wholesale Non-profit Nominations will be sought between March 31 and May 14, 2003. The Business Excellence Awards will be presented at the annual dinner of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce to be held at the Cape Codder Resort & Spa on June 18, 2003. Nominations may be sent to: Business Excellence Awards c/o Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce PO Box 790 Hyannis, MA 02601 Fax: 508-862-0727 Email: [email protected]

	Outlook 2004 - Cape Cod
Outlook 2004 - Cape Cod is an extension of the popular award-winning event annually presented in Boston by the Massachusetts Lodging Association. This year the MLA is assembling a panel of experts to address the uniques concerns of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The breakfast allows hoteliers and lodgining industry professionals insight into forecasts for the upcoming season and following year. Strategically scheduled to allow managers to incorporate this information into their 2004 budget planning process, Outlook 2004 - Cape Cod will help hoteliers predict room rates, occupancy rates, labor and operation costs, corporate demand and more! When: May 21, 2003 Where: The Lighthouse Inn, West Dennis Time: 8:30 am (registration opens at 8 am) MLA/HSMAI Member Cost: $25 ($20 for each additional participant from each property/allied member) Non Member Cost: $35 Registration deadline: May 16, 2003 Info & Registration »

	RIBBON CUTTING TO BE HELD FOR MID-CAPE HOME CENTERS NEW SHOWROOM
Please join us at 10 am on April 25, 2003 as the Cape Cod Chamber and Mid-Cape Home Centers celebrate the Grand Opening of Complete Home Concepts with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1520 Rte 132, next to Ethan Allen. This state-of-the-art concepts showroom is the first of its kind in the Nation. Andersen(R) Windows and Doors is using this showroom as a prototype for their new Custom Display Program. Mid-Cape Home Centers realizes that today's consumer is discriminating and educates themselves on new products available and the trends in the market. Homeowners, contractors, architects and designers want the convenience of a full selection of quality products, available in one location, and they demand skilled representatives to assist them. Complete Home Concepts has the finest quality building products available, displayed in their appropriate application. You can take a stroll down "Main Street" and view a vast selection of exterior materials that are available. The interior displays include premium kitchens, baths, windows, doors, countertops, flooring selections, and much, much more. To kick off the opening of this custom showroom, Mid- Cape Home Centers is offering the chance to win a $10,000 kitchen from Kraftmaid Cabinetry. All proceeds from this raffle will benefit the Independence House, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Resource Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Mid-Cape Home Centers is eager to share their Grand Opening publicity to promote the amazing work of Independence House and to assist this organization in meeting their fundraising goals. Buy raffle tickets on Friday at the new showroom, or after that at any of their Centers. Information on Mid-Cape Home Centers »

	Contacts for Businesses on Avoiding Hiring Hazards
Wednesday's workshop on avoiding hiring hazards was attended by 60 local business people, and received rave reviews in helping businesses understand the legalities and procedures for initial hiring of staff. Contact information for the panelists is listed below. Matt Lee and John Tocci Merson and Lee (immigration and employment attorneys) 1600 Falmouth Road, Suite 30 Centerville, MA 02632 508- 790-8772 [email protected] Dick Daley US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division 508-559-5330 17 Broadway, Room 308 Taunton, MA 02780 Kevin Morrissey Immigration 617-565-3100 Ralph Gallant Falmouth SSA 508-540-1090 Ed White, Hyannis SSA 508 771-7569 or [email protected]. For those who want to download the I-9 form, go to www.immigration.gov. We have also been working with the MA Division of Employment and Training (locally at Career Opportunities) to connect more employers with their job placement services. All businesses are encouraged to list their jobs with them. Contacts are Charles Marceline 508-862-6639 ([email protected]) or Janet Punis, 508-862-6640, or [email protected]

	Cape Cod Radio Promotion in Full Swing
The "Magic of Cape Cod" WMJX radio promotion is in full swing! Special thanks are extended to the following members who generously contributed to our prize giveaways: Dan'l Webster Inn, Sandwich Hollows, Sandwich Glass Museum, Burbank's Windfall House, Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises, Hearth & Kettle, Cape Codder Resort & Spa, The Naked Oyster, The Steamship Authority, V.J.'s Grille, Hy-Line Canal Cruises and Cape Cod Chamber Golf. Television spots, a radio contest and national magazine ads are included in the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Spring marketing campaign. For complete details, please follow the link below. Spring Marketing information »

UPCOMING EVENTS & WORKSHOPS

APRIL 22: MEMBER TO MEMBER NETWORKING EVENT MAY 13: CAPE COD CHAMBER MEMBER BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP

MAY 6: MEMBER TO MEMBER NETWORKING EVENT

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