Michigan goes for its first-ever national tourism ad campaign

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, has launched a $10 million national cable television campaign.

The Pure Michigan campaign will run through June on 15 national cable channels in the US. 

“At a time when many states are reducing their tourism promotion efforts, we have the largest budget for tourism promotion in Michigan’s history at $30 million,” said George Zimmermann, VP of Travel Michigan, the State of Michigan’s official agency for the promotion of tourism.

Zimmermann said the campaign is designed to introduce to the nation the attributes that “make Michigan such a popular and unique destination”. 

“There are millions of Americans who know little or nothing about the vibrancy, heritage, culture, arts and entertainment in our great cities, the sandy beaches and stunning overlooks along America’s longest fresh-water coastline, or the majesty and recreation in our 19 million acres of magnificent forests.” 

Michigan’s tourism promotion budget has grown dramatically in recent years from less than $6 million in 2005 to $30 million in 2009.

Specifically, for each dollar Michigan spent on out-of-state advertising from 2004 through 2008, new visits to Michigan motivated by that advertising created more than $40 of spending at Michigan businesses and generated $2.86 in new state tax collections. 

Zimmermann noted that visitors spend $18.1 billion annually traveling in Michigan, generating $874 million in state taxes, and accounting for 192,000 jobs statewide. 

Related links: Tourism, Marketing  

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