Michigan tourism industry forecasts increase for 2007

Don Holecek, director of MSU’s Travel, Tourism & Recreation Resource Center, predicts a modest increase travel volume and spending in the state in 2007. At the industry-wide industry-wide Michigan Lodging and Tourism Conference on March 26-27, a first-ever strategic plan will be presented that discusses, in part, marketing and promotion of Michigan as a travel destination.

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Factors helping the industry include post-Labor Day school openings and increased state advertising spending, the latter being particularly crucial in Michigan’s struggling economy.

“All the negative press out there concerning Michigan, in our marketplace, it’s like a negative political campaign almost. You have to counter it with positive news, and that positive news is coming in the form of paid advertising right now,” Holecek said.

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