The Pure Michigan campaign just released its latest state tourism figures, and there has been a year-over-year upturn in visitation and spending from 2012 to 2013. Tourism had a $1.2 billion economic impact in 2013. In light of this, Free Press columnist Tom Walsh opines on what Michigan should be capitalizing on.
Excerpt:
"Eight years after the brilliant Pure Michigan campaign rescued the state’s tourism brand from irrelevance, it’s now time to ask: How does Michigan step up from middle-of-the-pack to become a truly top-tier destination for travelers?
Think food, farms, wineries and craft beer for starters. And think about appealing to China and Toronto and Britain and Germany.
That’s what more than 1,000 attendees at the annual Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism will be talking about in Traverse City, starting today. Prior to the opening reception tonight at the Grand Traverse resort, attendees were offered an optional wine-tasting tour of three nearby wineries. It sold out quickly, at $50 a pop.
"Travelers today are more interested in experiences than things," said Sarah Nicholls, a Michigan State University professor and co-author of the annual Michigan tourism outlook to be presented Monday at the conference."
More
here.
And read the Pure Michigan report
here.
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