During its spring board of directors meeting in Boston, the Motorcoach Council agreed it is time to shift its efforts to an external focus by assisting operators to help them market their businesses to the general public and to provide support for those activities.

Earlier this year, the Council embraced the “Smart Move” campaign under the leadership of former Chair, Brian Annett. Developed in Europe and spreading to all parts of the world with a consumer focus, Smart Move clearly depicts all the benefits of motorcoach travel from the perspective of reducing congestion, reducing the environmental impact of travel, and showing the fun of traveling together as groups. By giving consumers around the world a consistent and easy to understand message about motorcoach travel, the belief is that consumers will find a reason that fits their needs to include motorcoach travel as part of their travel plans.

The Council also announced a new Operator Toolbox, available to all Council supporters, to help them market and grow their individual businesses. The toolbox will be available to current and past contributors to the Council.

The toolbox contains a series of professionally developed advertising pieces that operators can use and modify to add their own contact information, photographs and logos. Currently, they include a postcard, an email template, a safety brochure and "I Ride" print advertisements, which clearly depict different customers on motorcoaches with a message about why they chose to ride the coach.

Another development during the Council meeting was the resignation of the Council's Executive Director, Heather Horton.

"The Council is well on its way to serving the critical role of expanding awareness of motorcoach travel,” said Horton. “I was pleased to be an active part of the Council's growth and development and have confidence that the efforts I was part of, will continue to expand and improve to benefit the entire industry."