Malayzia Mag Issue 7: The Thanksgiving Edition | Page 7

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCT 7, 2013

TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM ECONOMY POSTS STRONG GROWTH IN 2013
By MIKE NORTON

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- Traverse City’s tourism economy continues to show strong growth –
generating increased spending, employment and an enhanced quality of life for local residents,
according to a study released this week by the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau.
That organization, in fact, has now changed its name to Traverse City Tourism, in recognition of its
ongoing commitment to the region’s tourism industry and its role as a valuable economic, cultural,
social and environmental force for the community and its residents.
“We are very pleased with the continued progress that our organization is making in building Traverse
City’s destination brand awareness,” said Brad Van Dommelen, President and CEO of Traverse City
Tourism. “We’ve experienced significant growth in our tourism volume, including from more distant
markets, as consumers learn about our destination attributes.”
The study, conducted by Anderson Economic Group of East Lansing, confirmed once again that
tourism is a major contributor to the area’s economy, generating billions in spending that supports
local businesses and municipal services, creating employment for thousands of local residents, and
supporting the enhanced quality of life that local residents enjoy.

According to the study:
?

In 2012 tourism generated over 3.3 million visitor trips to Traverse City, producing nearly
$1.2 billion in direct spending and supporting (directly and indirectly) more than 12,000 jobs
across the Traverse City area – about 30 percent of all employment in the region -- and
contributing about $67 million in state use and sales taxes.

?

Those figures reflect a growth rate of some 4.5 percent per year in the economic contribution
made by Traverse City’s tourism economy since 2006, when a similar study showed a total