Michigan a Key Partner in National Tourism Effort

Michelle Begnoche
517-241-0251

Pure Michigan has been tapped as a key partner in Brand USA, the first-ever unified national U.S. consumer brand to promote international travel to the United States.

George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, has been appointed to the Brand USA Marketing Advisory Group. The Marketing Advisory Group will play a critical role in developing and monitoring efforts to encourage international travelers to explore America.

Zimmermann joins marketing officials from other state and local tourism offices, as well as destination and hospitality groups, including Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau, Marriott International and Google, Inc. The primary role of the Marketing Advisory Group is to aid in the development and execution of America’s global consumer brand marketing campaign and provide recommendations on how the Brand USA marketing efforts are perceived internationally and among industry partners.

“Being part of the marketing efforts for Brand USA offers Michigan a tremendous opportunity as we work to grow the Pure Michigan brand nationally and internationally,” Zimmermann said. “Michigan, and the entire Great Lakes region, offers a unique travel experience here in the United States and it is exciting to contribute our efforts and experiences to this new national branding effort.”

Pure Michigan will be part of Brand USA's consumer launch in March at ITB in Berlin – the world’s leading travel show – through the state’s partnership with Great Lakes USA, the multi-state international marketing consortium of Travel Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Brand USA will also have a presence at the 2012 Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism being held March 25-27 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. Joel Secundy, Vice President of Strategic Outreach at Brand USA, will provide a keynote address discussing Brand USA’s efforts to be the gateway to the international market for the U.S. tourism industry.

Other key note speakers at the conference are Governor Rick Snyder and national travel expert and CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg. A new feature at this year’s conference is a special track for economic developers and regional and local officials interested in utilizing tourism to help their community grow. This new track will present information on the connection and the correlation between tourism marketing and development and other economic development activity and results.

With the expansion of the Pure Michigan brand beyond travel in 2011, public and private partners have quickly found the power of Pure Michigan to help market Michigan and grow the economy.

For more information, or to register to attend the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism, visit the conference website.

Travel Michigan, part 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. For Michigan travel news and updates, go to michigan.org.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership serving as the state's marketing arm and lead agency for business, talent and jobs, focuses on helping grow Michigan's economy. For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: MichiganAdvantage.org