Winter tourism is thriving this year in Michigan.
Things like skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing are going to benefit from the cold and snow that persisted through much of December.
Peter Fitzsimons is executive director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau.
He said winter tourism will have a big impact on the area.
“For Boyne City, Harbor Springs, Petoskey, and Bay Harbor, it’s a significant part of our economy," Fitzsimons said. "Obviously July and August are our busiest months, but December, January, and February tend to rival our June and September.”
He said this winter has been better than previous years. He also said he’s optimistic the season will end strong.
Another travel official, Mary Beth Stutzman is president and CEO of the Alpena Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
She said the weather has been a boon for local events this season.
“We’ve had a lot of great ice fishing so far this year which is a little unusual because the season started a little earlier than normal but no one is complaining about that," Stutzman said. "We also have a number of cross country ski trails that have been groomed. The tracks are smooth and fast, and that has also been doing really well. As is, snowmobiling, because we’ve had so much snowfall this year.”
She said Alpena is seeing an increase in tourists this winter over the past few years.
Travel officials said winter tourism is not as busy as peak summer months - think July and August. But they say it rivals the more fringe months like June and September