Discovery Map International, a provider of curated guides to top tourist attractions, cities and towns throughout North America, recently announced John Farrell as the new owner of Discovery Map of Lake George.
Farrell, the owner of JMF Publishing, purchased the map from Greg Cluver in the fall.
Farrell has owned and operated JMF Publishing for more than 30 years. He runs it with his wife of 38 years, Margaret. The company publishes a wide range of tourism publications tailored toward upstate New York, including Upstate Summer magazine, Adirondack Paddling, Adirondack Hiking, Adirondack Fishing, 1000 Islands—Tug Hill Craft Beverage Map, Great Lakes Seaway Trail Journey magazine and the official guides and maps to more than 30 New York state parks.
“Over the years we had picked up Discovery Maps and always thought they were well done and informative. Seeing that they were exactly the type of business we were already running, we looked into becoming a franchise owner,” Farrell said. “After considering a start-up franchise and evaluating three franchises that were for sale we decided that Lake George was the best opportunity and that produced a touch of irony. Way back in 1994 the Lake George area was where JMF Publishing was firmly established with advertising sales and production of the official maps and guides for New York state campgrounds in region.”
Discovery Map produces colorful, hand-drawn maps that have become a favorite of travelers for navigating local dining, attractions, businesses, cultural experiences and tourist destinations. Discovery Map of Lake George includes sites and destinations ranging from Prospect Mountain to restaurants, shopping venues and various other activities.
The maps are typically found on display in local stores, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. In addition to the printed map, DiscoveryMap.com offers curated content for visitors and those planning a trip. The interactive map on the website is to scale, thus can be used for turn-by-turn directions, as well as to access detailed information about areas of interest, places to eat, lodging and other noteworthy sites.
“As much as we rely on our smartphones, people still prefer printed-out maps,” said Farrell. “Although Discovery Map has a great website and online presence, the maps are truly like works of art and reveal the character of an area. Lake George has plenty of that to go along with the natural beauty of the lake, historic sites like the Fort William McHenry Museum, hiking trails and theme parks like Lake George Theme Park.”
Local businesses interested in placing an ad in the upcoming Discovery Map of Lake George, to be published in winter 2023, can call (315) 922-8969 or email johnf@discoverymap.com.
“I am looking forward to taking the Discovery Map of Lake George into its next incarnation by building its online presence and adding more advertisers to the print version while keeping it a valuable and informative tourism resource,” he said.
Discovery Maps International is headquartered in Waitsfield, Vt. Discovery Map, has more than 120 maps across the U.S. and Canada. It is the charge of the franchise owner to sell advertising on the map and the map online version, the WebMap, available at discoverymap.com. The typical franchise owner will publish a printed map once per year.
For more information on the Discovery Map franchise opportunity, visit discoverymapfranchise.com/.