04/01/2007

The tourism industry faces steep obstacles

By Bill O'Brien
Business editor
bobrien@
record-eagle.com

A cab driver in Las Vegas talked recently about how empty the city was after Sept. 11, 2001, and how the town almost immediately went into crisis mode to bring its coveted visitors back.

"We figure you can go anywhere in the world, but we want you to come here,” he said.

In Michigan, the travel industry still longs for the pre-Sept. 11 days. But it lacks the sense of urgency that other states and cities are showing in their drive for coveted tourism dollars.

Almost like the domestic auto industry before it, Michigan's travel business seems stuck in neutral as it clings to old ideas while the rest of the world passes it by.

The temptation for some is to look at the state's stagnant tourism numbers as decent in light of Michigan's high unemployment rate and statewide economic fallout from the slumping Big Three automakers. But those flat-line trends are going against a strong upturn in travel figures both across the country and internationally, meaning the state is losing even more ground than is indicated in year-to-year comparisons.

Reversing those trends won't be easy. Michigan lawmakers are only now waking up to the fact that the state is getting hammered by other states in its promotional spending, and other regions are ramping up their efforts in areas like public-private tourism partnerships, cross-promotional efforts and customer service initiatives.

Even if the Legislature doubled its tourism spending tomorrow to near the $30 million annually the industry wants, the state would still be years behind other regions in the hotly competitive travel game.

The state's new strategic tourism plan is a step in the right direction. Beside calling for more public money toward travel promotion and better and more timely data collection and analysis — both good ideas — the plan also calls for a new commitment by the industry for improved customer service. It recommends establishing "a culture of exceptional customer service” and to "make the visitor experience more engaging and memorable.”

Amen to that. Michigan doesn't have a reputation as a state that bowls over its visitors with kindness. Locally, there have been whispers from travelers from other parts of Michigan and beyond who avoid northern Michigan because of its reputation as a quasi-police state where cops often cruise the popular spots looking for arrests. Others say it's not an area that welcomes minorities. Both those perceptions, fair or not, are significant roadblocks to expanding the region's tourism share.

The good news is Michigan, and particularly northern Michigan, still has a world-class tourism product that people want to see. The Great Lakes and other natural features, the numerous outdoor activities and the quaint towns and villages that dot our region are strong draws that can compete for the growing world tourism dollar.

But getting travelers here, and then convincing them to come back because of all the fun they had, remains the largest challenge. Like the Vegas cabbie said, folks can go pretty much anywhere ...

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