All-New Industry Collaborative Launches to Unite Hospitality & Tourism Advocacy in Michigan
The Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance Sets Bold Agenda and Announces New Legislative Caucus
Lansing, MI – The Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance, an all-new collaborative of statewide and select regional organizations representing hospitality and tourism-related industries, announced its formation today.
The Alliance was founded by the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association in collaboration with the Michigan Travel Commission and its founding members with a vision to strengthen industry advocacy through a unified voice. The group aspires to educate stakeholders, elected officials and industry leaders of the importance of the hospitality and tourism industries to Michigan's overall economy and to advocate for appropriate funding streams to ensure its future success.
“Hospitality and tourism are so ingrained in the very fabric of our DNA in Michigan that many of us seem to take these industries, their 500,000 workers and $50 billion economic impact for granted,” said Justin Winslow, president & CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We believe that through the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance we can magnify our voice and clearly communicate that prioritizing investment in travel, tourism and a vibrant hospitality industry is integral to a bigger and better Michigan that we all want.”
Founding members of the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance include:
· Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau
· Michigan Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus
· Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds
· Michigan Boating Industries Association
· Michigan Brewers Guild
· Michigan Festivals & Events Association
· Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
· Michigan Snowsports Industries Association
· Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan
· Traverse City Tourism
· Visit Detroit
Hospitality & Tourism Caucus
Concurrently, the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance announced the creation of an all-new bipartisan, bicameral “Hospitality & Tourism Caucus" that will work with the Alliance to better understand the challenges and opportunities that impact the industry. The founding members of the caucus include:
- Senator John Damoose (R – Harbor Springs)
- Senator Kevin Hertel (D – St. Clair Shores)
- Representative Will Snyder (D – Muskegon)
- Representative Nancy DeBoer (R – Holland)
“The travel, tourism and hospitality industry drives the Michigan economy, and nowhere is this more true than in my District in northern Michigan and the Eastern UP,” said Caucus Co-Chair Senator John Damoose (R – Harbor Springs). “Given the unique challenges faced by this industry in the past several years - from Covid to regulatory burdens - it is critical that legislators come together to help. As such, I am proud to be a co-founder of the Hospitality and Tourism Caucus with several esteemed colleagues and look forward to being very active and engaged to promote the industry for years to come.”
“I have seen firsthand how important hospitality and tourism is to Muskegon’s economy and to the livelihood of so many of my constituents. I am therefore honored to be help lead as Co-Chair included in Michigan’s first-ever Hospitality and Tourism Caucus and look forward to getting to work,” said Representative Will Snyder (D – Muskegon).
The Alliance also intends to work closely with the Michigan Travel Commission to communicate industry priorities and its needs to produce consistent messaging across all stakeholders and interested parties.
“It is fantastic to see the industry coming together to form this exciting new alliance,” said Patrick Brys, Chair of the Michigan Travel Commission. “Hospitality and tourism remain a critical part of Michigan's overall economic success. When the industry speaks with one unified voice, the industry wins.”
The Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance has set a bold agenda for 2024, with intentions to host a legislative reception in Lansing and attending several policy conferences across the state to communicate industry priorities to key stakeholders. While individual policy positions will be dealt with by the group as they arise, there will be a strong emphasis in the first year of securing an increase in Pure Michigan funding to support a robust travel and tourism industry.
Statements from the Founding Members of the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance
Michigan Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (MACVB)
MACVB is a statewide organization that serves the Destination Marketing Organizations throughout the State of Michigan with a variety of services including advocacy, educational, marketing and networking opportunities for its members.
“The Michigan Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus is excited to collaborate with other state tourism and hospitality associations and collectively advocate for issues of importance to the visitor economy, including funding for Pure Michigan’s marketing efforts,” said Susan Estler, president of the Michigan Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus.
Michigan Association of RVs & Campgrounds
Year after year, Michigan is a national leader in the RV and campground industries. Michigan is home to nearly 1,300 campgrounds and ranks in the top 5 of wholesale RV deliveries each year. A 2021 economic impact study of RVs in Michigan confirmed that the industry has a $3 billion impact: $786 million for RV manufacturers and suppliers, $973 million for RV sales and services, and $1 billion for RV campgrounds. The Michigan RV and campground industry supports 21,695 jobs, 1,191 industry businesses, $1 billion in wages and $327 million in taxes paid.
“Hospitality and tourism impact every citizen and every corner of our state, and this Alliance will work diligently to ensure that fact guides the decisions of the Michigan Legislature now and for years to come,” said John Lindley, president & CEO of the Michigan Association of RVs and Campgrounds.
Michigan Boating Industries Association
With Michigan having nearly 1 million registered boats, the MBIA’s role is instrumental to the continued wellbeing of the industry as it relates to promoting the interests of recreation boating by improving industry conditions; enhancing facilities development; protecting our water resources, monitoring legislation and advancing the education of those in the industry.
“Michigan Boating Industries Association is proud to be a founding member of the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance,” said Nicki Polan, executive director of the Michigan Boating Industries Association. “We are excited to work alongside other partner organizations to highlight Michigan’s amazing destinations and incredible natural resources to Michigan residents and beyond. Also important is to highlight the significant economic impact tourism, hospitality, and outdoor recreation have on our state’s economy each year and the many career paths these sectors offer.”
Michigan Brewers Guild
Michigan’s brewing industry contributes employment of more than 14,000 jobs and total economic impact of $1.8 billion. Boasting the 6th highest number of breweries in the U.S. with 400 breweries located throughout the state you are never far from a fresh, local beer.
“Tourism, hospitality and fresh, local beer go hand in hand, said Scott Graham, executive director of the Michigan Brewers Guild. “We look forward to working with other stakeholders to support our state’s tourism industry.”
Michigan Festival & Events Association
The Michigan Festivals and Events Association is a statewide non-profit organization serving communities, events, festivals, fairs, businesses and volunteers throughout Michigan. We promote Festivals, Events, Tourism, Government Related Agencies, Main Attractions, Year-Round Fun Spots, Seasonal Fun Spots, Lodging, Students, and Vendors catering to Festivals and Events and provide technical assistance, training, and education.
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
Founded in 1921 as the Michigan Restaurant Association and now known as the MRLA, the Association represents over 5,500 Michigan foodservice and lodging establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 450,000 people and creating nearly $44.6 billion in annual sales
Michigan Snowsports Industries Association
Each year Michigan welcomes between 2 million and 2.4 million skier visits to our slopes. Michigan is tied with New York for the most ski areas in any state (50). The typical ski season is 100 to 104 days long. Winter travel accounts for nearly one-third of the $22.8 billion Michigan travel industry. No matter where someone lives in the state, everyone in Michigan is within a two-and-a-half-hour drive of a ski area.
“We are proud to be one of the founding members of the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance,” said Mickey MacWilliams, executive director of the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association. “When Michigan and Tourism are put together in the same sentence, sandy beaches and our Great Lakes often come to mind. However, we do turn cold for three months each year and have some fabulous resorts and winter recreation destinations that contribute heavily to winter travel. After all, Michigan is the ‘Water WINTER Wonderland.’”
Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan
The mission of TICOM is to strengthen Michigan's travel and tourism industry as a vital component of economic development and quality of life through governmental advocacy, public relations, collaboration, and other promotional and educational efforts.
“As the most diverse coalition with over 50 organizations representing Michigan's travel industry for more than 30 years, the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan looks forward to collaborating with the Michigan Hospitality and Tourism Alliance to promote and advocate for tourism as a vital economic driver in Michigan,” said Chad Wiebesick, immediate past chair of the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan (TICOM).
Traverse City Tourism
Visits to the Greater Grand Traverse region neared 7.3 million in 2022, an 11 percent increase over pre-pandemic levels. Visitor spending of $1 billion generated a total of $1.4 billion in total business sales. This total economic impact included over 8,950 jobs, and $134 million in state and local tax revenues.
“As Michigan looks to ensure a prosperous future, hospitality is a fundamental building block for success,” said Trevor Tkach, president and CEO of Traverse City Tourism. “Our industry tells the stories that inspire people to visit, provides the warm welcomes, and helps grow and strengthen our communities and local economies. Traverse City Tourism is excited to partner with others who share a passion for Michigan’s hospitality and tourism industry.”
Visit Detroit
Visit Detroit is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Detroit, dedicated to promoting Detroit as a world-class destination for leisure and business travelers. With a focus on showcasing the city's vibrant culture, rich history, and diverse attractions, Visit Detroit aims to drive tourism, economic growth, and community pride.
“Visitors are the gateway to growth for our city, region, and state, and that is why Visit Detroit is so proud to be a founding member of the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance,” said Claude Molinari, president and CEO of Visit Detroit. “Millions of visitors come to Detroit and Southeast Michigan every year, spending billions of dollars that drive our economy forward. Investing in hospitality and tourism will be a key catalyst as we work to attract and retain talent. Growth starts with a visit.”
About the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance
The Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance is a collaborative of hospitality tourism-related statewide and select regional organizations created to promote hospitality, travel and tourism in Michigan through a unified voice. The Alliance aspires to educate stakeholders, elected officials and industry leaders of the importance of the hospitality and tourism industry to Michigan’s overall economy and to advocate for appropriate funding streams to ensure its future success. For more information, visit http://themichiganalliance.org/