Tourism on the Rise

Researchers at Michigan State University say tourism spending in Michigan was strong in 2013 and is poised for another robust year in 2014. Dan McCole and Sarah Nicholls, of MSU’s Department of Community Sustainability presented their annual report at the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference in Traverse City. The MSU researchers say factors fueling the upswing include an improving economy, several national tourism trends and the success of the state’s Pure Michigan advertising campaign both nationally and internationally. McCole predicts tourism spending, as measured by hotel and motel tax receipts, will increase 4.5 percent in 2014 after experiencing a 4 percent bump in 2013 and 6 percent increase in 2012. Hotel occupancy increased nearly 2 percent last year and car traffic on the state’s international bridges and tunnels was also up.