LANSING, MI Next years travel and tourism outlook is good, despite some economists calls for a softening in the nations economy, according to Travel Michigan. The states official tourism promotion agency believes the industrys financial forecast is as much predicated on the weather forecast as on the subtle changes in the economy. With a strong base of snow on the ground already, and the National Weather Service calling for above average snowfall through March, the industry is optimistic.
Winter tourism, including skiing and snowmobiling, contributes an estimated $3.4 billion to Michigans economy annually. Overall, tourism contributes more than $10 billion per year to the Michigan economy, making it the states second largest industry. (12/20/00)