Magazine targets city visitors

Since Branson achieved its current status as one of the top family entertainment destinations in the United States several years ago, Springfield has become known as the city to fly into or drive through to get to Branson.

But according to John C. Ford, editor and publisher of Welcome to Springfield magazine, Springfield holds its own as a tourist destination and needs a magazine to highlight the various activities, restaurants and tourist attractions available here.

"I realized a few months ago that the magazine niche in Springfield hotel rooms had not been filled, which is crazy to me, because there's 1.2 million people going through the hotels and motels here each year," Ford said. "As a traveler myself, I've found it helpful to find some type of a good publication in my hotel room about the area I'm in, and likewise, I want to provide that opportunity for our guests in Springfield."

Welcome to Springfield will make its debut in March as a 24-page bimonthly magazine distributed free in hotel and motel rooms, at the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Springfield-Branson Regional Airport, and to hospitals and large employers.

"I think this magazine will fill a void in Springfield because there is currently not an in-(hotel) room publication in Springfield that tells visitors to the city what there is to see and do in the area ... this will help correct that," said CVB Executive Director Tracy Kimberlin. "We will provide information to the magazine and may from time to time write articles for it, but we are not involved with it financially," Kimberlin said.

The magazine will be a guide to events and activities in the area, and will feature an editorial-based dining review and seasonal feature, which will highlight events such as ArtsFest in the spring.

"To make sure that I have the cooperation of the CVB and the benefit of their information, I've promised them that I will be inclusive of all the attractions in the area," Ford said. "In other words, even though I may not have an ad from Fantastic Caverns, for example, I will make sure they are listed in the magazine."

In addition to serving as the editor and publisher, Ford is also the advertising manager.

He plans to use free-lancers for the editorial content and a yet-to-be-named graphic design firm for the production work.

Peter Christodoulou, a local accountant who is Ford's partner in the venture, is the magazine's chief financial officer.

Ford is also still deciding on a printer for Welcome to Springfield, which he said will have a press run of 10,000 for the first issue.

"That's based on the 4,000 rooms I plan to distribute the magazine in," Ford said. Ford said Springfield has about 5,500 available hotel and motel rooms, and he has identified 4,000 as those most likely to attract guests who will use a tourism publication such as Welcome to Springfield.

He plans to distribute the magazine himself, supplying the hotel and motel rooms and other distribution points once a month.

Traditional subscriptions to the magazine will not be available, but Ford said he would mail the magazine on a limited basis to frequent visitors to Springfield who want to keep up on what's happening here.

Ford is the former associate publisher and owner of the Branson and Springfield versions of Travelhost magazine, a 34-year-old national magazine that operates distributorships in more than 100 cities across the country.

"I had this (Travelhost) magazine from 88 until 94. I sold the Branson magazine (in 1993) and I kept the Springfield magazine in print for another year, and for personal reasons, put it to sleep," Ford said.

After his involvement with Travelhost ended, Ford began working for Riley Marketing as the director of its chamber of commerce map division, which provides custom maps to chambers of commerce across the country. He said he resigned from Riley on good terms about a month ago to concentrate on Welcome to Springfield.

Ford also worked for Pennypower Shopping News Inc. for seven years, and has served as the advertising manager for the Bolivar-Herald Free Press and the Rolla Daily News, and managing editor for the Chillicothe Bulletin.

Ford also owned and published the Mountain Grove Journal for two years in the 70s.