04/05/2006

Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
Gov. Jennifer Granholm asks East Junior High seventh-grader Kevin Trippe to identify local school board members and news media who have just been introduced. Granholm spoke to seventh graders Tuesday afternoon about the state’s new high school graduation requirements.

Granholm: Tourism before politics

By Brian Mcgillivary

bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Legislative leaders are putting election year politicking ahead of the state's tourism industry, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in a trip meant to exert pressure on Republican leaders.

At stake is how the state spends $15 million to market Michigan to tourists. Granholm wants to kick-start the tourism industry by front-loading the money over two years. Legislative leaders want to spread it over five years.

"The more money you have, the more markets you can go into," Granholm said. "I don't know a single person in the tourism industry that wants to spread it out over five years."

Traverse City Republicans Sen. Jason Allen and Rep. Howard Walker said they support the industry's position but haven't been contacted about travel industry concerns.

"Given the state's economic condition it would be good to get the state's tourism industry moving sooner rather than later," Walker said.

He said House leadership is talking about a compromise to spend it over three years, but he sees an immediate need. He said other Great Lakes states are spending much more than Michigan on travel promotion.

Granholm said there is a direct connection between the decline in the state's marketing of tourism and its decline in hotel occupancy rates. Tourism spending has dropped by millions since 1990.

Because Michigan hasn't promoted well outside of the state, 80 percent of Traverse City-area tourists reside in Michigan, said Brad Van Dommelen, president of the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"We need to invigorate the industry with a more concentrated and sustained promotion," Van Dommelen said.

By front-loading the promotion, Van Dommelen said the industry will be able to show that for every $1 in promotion they can generate $3.43 in revenue for the state treasury.

Granholm said there's no legitimate reason not to fully fund on the front end.

"Honestly, I think it's politics," she said. "I hate to be cynical about it, but when I propose something (to the Legislature) the initial reaction to it is 'no.'"