When it was founded in 1921, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce sought “to promote the prosperity and general welfare” of Cape Cod, advocating for construction of the original Canal bridges, along with water quality and economic development. It’s striking how these priorities have remained relatively consistent over the years.

 

Paul headshot

Today, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce is one organization, but we wear many hats. We do all the typical things you would expect from a Chamber, including hosting twenty member networking events last year, and partnering with the Cape’s fifteen towns and local Chambers. The Chamber serves as the Regional Tourism Council, as well as the regional economic development organization for Cape Cod. We work year-round to promote member businesses and inspire visitors from across the world to fall in love with this special place.

 

However, the pandemic fundamentally changed the Cape’s regional economy and the way we do business. Our business community has experienced new challenges, like inflation and supply chain issues. Existing problems, like workforce housing and labor supply, have become more severe. This shifting business climate, in turn, shapes the work and priorities of the Chamber.

 

Last week, we celebrated 102 years of the Cape Cod Chamber at our Annual Meeting, hosted at the beautiful Wychmere Beach Club. With Nantucket Sound glistening in the background, we highlighted just a few of the ways the Chamber is driving creative solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges. Over the last year, the Chamber has:

  • Created a fresh brand identity that keeps the Cape competitive in an ever-changing international tourism market. The Cape Cod Chamber engaged Boston-based marketing agency Fuseideas to oversee the rebranding exercise - a nine-month endeavor that combined traveler sentiment research and stakeholder and visitor interviews. Our updated destination marketing captures the deeply personal nature of a Cape Cod visit – how everyone’s unique experience here is what keeps them coming back. 
  • Supported business resiliency and growth through innovative partnerships that drive economic development in significant ways, like our Commercial Drivers License (CDL) Training Program. The Chamber was recently awarded a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth Corporation to extend the CDL program for two years, addressing a critical need for licensed commercial drivers in the region. 
  • Developed new programming, like our J-1 Workforce Housing program, to meet housing needs for the workforce. To date, this program has secured housing for 230 international Summer Work Travel students and added 122 families to a region-wide housing host network, directly impacting summer staffing capacity for employers across the Cape.
  • Engaged in focused and proactive policy work, serving as the voice for the Cape’s business community on Beacon Hill and in Washington. Most recently, this work has resulted in the formation of the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition (CIBC), a group of nearly 40 business and community representatives who will collectively advocate for full funding and replacement of the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges. Last week, founding members of the CIBC traveled with the Chamber to Washington D.C. to discuss the future of the Canal Bridges with members of the U.S. House and Senate.

 

After 102 years, the Cape Cod Chamber remains as committed as ever to the prosperity and welfare of Cape Cod. The common thread across all this work – from the Chamber’s founding in 1921 to today – is the people who live, work, and visit here. We look forward to continuing our work to ensure businesses and residents alike can continue to thrive on Cape Cod.

 

Chamber of Commerce organizedBridge 1935