Pure Michigan Campaign Drives $1.2 Billion in Visitor Spending

 

Last year more than 4 million trips were made to Michigan by out-of-state visitors influenced by the Pure Michigan campaign, according to the 2013 report by Longwoods International. The economic impact of these trips for Michigan businesses was a record $1.2 billion.

Also trending upward was the 2013 return on investment of the award-winning Pure Michigan campaign. In 2013, $13 million was spent on out-of-state advertising for Pure Michigan. In return, the visitor spending generated $86.5 million in tax revenue received by the state, resulting in a return on investment of $6.66 – up from $5.76 in 2012. The cumulative return on investment since the Pure Michigan campaign began in 2006 is now $4.50, up from $4.10.

“The Pure Michigan campaign has been very successful in creating an positive economic impact in the state and showcasing the quality of life Michigan has to offer,” said Governor Rick Snyder. “These results demonstrate the effectiveness of Pure Michigan and provide a strong foundation for continued growth in Michigan’s tourism industry.” 

In 2013, Pure Michigan attracted 2.4 million visitors from the Great Lakes region and 1.6 million visitors from distance markets nationwide. That is up from the 3.8 million out-of-state trips the campaign motived in 2012 – 2.3 million from the Great Lakes region and 1.5 million from distant markets.

Pure Michigan’s 2014 national advertising campaign will launch March 17. Last year’s national advertising campaign aired more than 5,000 times on 25 cable channels and had a total budget of $13 million.

As Pure Michigan’s national advertising efforts have grown, so to have efforts to increase international marketing. In 2014, Pure Michigan will advertise in the Toronto market for the first time and will increase its presence in Germany and Great Britain. Pure Michigan is also establishing a presence for the first time in China. On his recent investment mission to China, Governor Snyder participated in a tourism forum to introduce Pure Michigan to the Chinese tourism market and to encourage Chinese travelers to include Michigan in their visits to the United States.

“The investments we are making in our national advertising campaign and out-of-state marketing are bringing new travelers and more spending to Michigan,” said George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “As awareness about Michigan as a national travel destination continues to grow, we are also laying the groundwork to be part of the conversation for international travelers planning to visit the United States.”

The results of the 2013 Longwoods Report were released today at the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism being held in Traverse City. The full report is available on michiganbusiness.org.

Longwoods International is a research firm specializing in tourism advertising return on investment.

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org.