USA Today Friday reported TravelClick estimates that Detroit will lead the nation in travel growth over the next 12 months, predicting a 22 percent increase in occupancy rates between now and Sept. 30, 2012.
“We’re well ahead of the curve from a national improvement standpoint,” Thomas Conran, principal of Greenwood Hospitality Group, owner of The Henry hotel in Dearborn (the former Ritz-Carlton) told USA Today. “There’s an energy that this hotel has not seen for many, many years.”
Conran credited the increase in volume to Michigan’s economic recovery, the renewed strength of the state’s auto industry, to the state’s Pure Michigan campaign and to the recent strength of Detroit’s resurgent sports teams. Meanwhile, at a Minnesota jobs summit, opinion leaders suggested one possible way to fuel their own economic growth might be to come up with their own version of Michigan’s efforts to extend the Pure Michigan brand to market Michigan.
Minnesota House Majority Leader Rep. Matt Dean, the only Republican lawmaker at the summit, said Minnesota needs a “unified brand image” like Pure Michigan to bring business and government under a common theme to market their state to the world the way Michigan has.
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I think this is awesome not only for Detroit but for the great state of Michigan as well. I absolutely LOVE the Pure Michigan commercials, weather they are on TV or the radio. They always get me to be thankful that I live and grew up in such a unique state.
I agree on all counts, Brandon. A number of my friends and co-workers who live throughout the Midwest love to visit the great state of Michigan whenever they can to enjoy the lakes, streams, sports events, and other activities.
I also love the Pure Michigan commercials…they inspire me to travel and explore more within our own beautiful state versus going elsewhere to vacation. Way to lead the way, guys. You all are doing an amazing job!