Times are tough, especially in Michigan, long No. 1 in joblessness and other gauges of economic distress. That's all the more reason that there must be sustained funding for promotion of our economic ace in the hole -- tourism.
Although funding has fluctuated in recent years, there was encouraging unity in Lansing last week behind an effort to tout tourism.
The Michigan Lodging & Tourism Association, at its annual conference attended by about 250, drummed up support on the day that the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on a bill by Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, for sustaining the $30 million annual "Pure Michigan" ad spending level getting under way by the Granholm administration.
Allen and Gov. Jennifer Granholm are not in sync on many issues. But they are allied in support of Travel Michigan's ad campaign that was described Sept. 8 in the Chicago Sun-Times, "with its evocative copy and inviting musical underscoring," as a pitch that "soars above all other tourism ad campaigns in the Midwest."
Michigan's pitch for fall color tours invites visitors to see "colors that didn't come from a paint can" as "the curtain rises on nature's greatest show, as the 19 million acres of woods called Michigan slowly explodes in a frenzy of color."
Such soaring spiels have earned Michigan several accolades. The Travel Industry Association of America gave its awards to Pure Michigan for best state radio and TV ads. The state's travel Web site (www.michigan.org) came in 2nd place behind Virginia in a survey to determine the nation's best state travel Web site.
Awards and evocative copy mean little if the weather does not cooperate -- and it did not early in the summer season.
But after a slow start, including a decline in Mackinac Bridge crossings compared to last year as well as state campground bookings and visits to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, tourism later picked up in the Upper Peninsula and the northern lower.
Nonetheless, the Detroit Free Press, noting that it's tough to combat a weak economy and high gas prices that deter travel, reported Sept. 13: "Hotel occupancy in Michigan is still the weakest in the nation."
As for the ripple effect of tourism, President James P. Hallan of the Michigan Retailers Association, said: "In many respects, the prosperity of Michigan is linked to tourism. ... When tourism is vibrant, the hospitality and retail industries thrive." And the state treasury benefits.
That was a point made last week in Lansing by Allen, President Steve Yencich of the Michigan Lodging & Tourism Association and such travel industry leaders as President Dan Musser of Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel.
Allen cited a study indicating that for every dollar spent to promote tourism, about three are generated "in terms of economic activity and in state revenue." Good return on investment is a strong argument in these times of economic woes.
Under Allen's bill, after the money received from Michigan's six percent sales tax goes to schools and other mandated recipients, Travel Michigan would get a guaranteed percentage that amounts to about $30 million.Despite budget crises, funding for "Pure Michigan" increased to $13.2 million for 2006-07; to $17.5 million for 2007-08; and goes to $30 million for the 2008-09 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
Michigan this year was able for the first time to advertise on a national network -- NBC during the PGA golf tournament -- and advertised in such markets as Chicago, St. Louis and Cleveland.
As legislators consider Allen's bill for sustained funding for such ads, they should keep in mind that when tourism is vibrant, others thrive.
George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features
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