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Michigan Tourism Strategic Plan

Introduction from Michigan Tourism Strategic Plan, 2007 - 2011 (Summary)

Tourism in Michigan is a $17.5 billion industry which employs 200,000 people and contributes to the economies of all 83 Michigan counties. Globally, it is an industry that has experienced significant growth in recent years, and this growth trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. Ensuring that Michigan’s tourism industry captures its fair share of a growing tourism market is critical not only to the tourism industry in the state, but also to Michigan’s overall economy.

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Michigan is primarily a regional tourism destination drawing about 70% of its business from Michigan residents and 20% from residents of adjacent states and Ontario. Its reliance on this regional tourism market is problematic both in the near term and the long run. The Michigan economy has been weak for several years and is projected to remain so for some time. Population growth in this region of the U.S. is projected by the U.S. Census Bureau to lag the rest of the country, which poses a long term threat to Michigan’s tourism industry. And, it faces stiff competition from other destinations for tourists with ever higher travel experience expectations. Despite these obvious challenges, the future for Michigan’s tourism industry need not be bleak. After all, it is engaged in a global growth industry and is endowed with resources superior to those available to many of its competitors.

conferenceroomsmall The premise for this plan ‘for the industry, by the industry’ is that the industry working together can exert control over its destiny. It is grounded in recent successes registered by the industry working together to pass Post Labor Day School legislation and to increase the state’s investment in promotion. Over the past year, many in the industry have worked countless hours to develop this plan, which is both the industry’s vision for its future as well as a comprehensive action agenda for achieving that vision.