Michigan Tourism Industry Anticipates Rise in Travel for 2005

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Michigan Tourism Industry Anticipates Rise in Travel for 2005

3rd January, 2005

LANSING, Mich., Jan. 3 -- The State of Michigan's tourism industry forecasts gains in travel for 2005. According to Travel Michigan research, the travel and tourism outlook for the new year is upbeat and positive, with 58 percent of Michigan businesses surveyed anticipating increases to business generated from tourism. The forecast mimics national expectations.

"Michigan's tourism industry is very optimistic, as early indicators reveal that 2005 could be a great year for state tourism," stated George Zimmermann, Senior Vice President of Travel Michigan. "We recently announced that more than five million Web surfers turned to http://www.michigan.org for travel information in 2004; that's an increase of 25 percent over 2003. This is certainly positive news for Michigan tourism and an indication that the industry's positive outlook is justified."

The Travel Industry of America (TIA) recently released their forecast for 2005 travel, which also reflects positive expectations. They predict domestic travel in the US to increase 7 percent overall, led by a noticeable increase in business travel, which forecasters expect to climb 3.6 percent over 2004 levels. Leisure travel is expected to grow by 2 percent nationwide.

In a just completed Travel Michigan survey, data was gathered from two groups -- Michigan tourism businesses and potential Michigan travelers. After experiencing a slight decline in 2004, more than half of the businesses surveyed predicted an increase for this year. Potential travelers to Michigan who were surveyed reported they expect to spend 7.3 nights in paid accommodations -- up from 6.1 during 2004.

Overall, the tourism industry contributes $16 billion to Michigan's economy, accounting for 182,000 jobs and generating $853 million in state tax revenues. Tourism is the second largest industry in the state, behind the automotive industry.

For more information on traveling in Michigan visit the state's official travel web site at http://www.michigan.org or call (888) 78-GREAT.

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan's official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services.

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