The Pure Michigan campaign's mission is increasing visitor traffic by advertising the state's destinations in-state and nationally. Those national ads are ending after the state cut $15 million from Travel Michigan, the state tourism promotion agency's budget. Beginning October 1st, Travel Michigan's budget will drop to $15 million.
"That's woefully low to the point it makes us noncompetitive."
Doug Small is Experience Grand Rapids' President and CEO.
"I'm a single destination and my budget's $13.5 million, to put that into perspective."
Small can't comprehend the legislature slashing the allocation when the state's budget is a record $82 billion. He says research indicates that for every tourism dollar spent, there's a $7.5 return.
"We in Kent County, in 2022, did $248 million in hotel room sales."
All told, visitor traffic to the country generated nearly $1 billion in economic impact. He suggests funding Pure Michigan's national campaign using the country's tourism funding model.
"Kent County collects a lodging excise tax. They collect a 5% lodging excise tax. I negotiate then with them a percentage of that to come to us to continue marketing, to continue to build hotel revenues so they get more. Why don't we do this at the state level?"
He says a portion of that sales tax, 20%, would fund the state's tourism campaign.