Chairman's Message
Take “TIME” to improve Tourism’s Future and our State’s Economy
Richard A. Winn
Amway Grand Plaza
Grand Rapids
They say that success stands at the top of a hill where opportunity and hard work meet. A huge opportunity has now been presented; the rest is up to us. SB 690, designed to increase tourism promotion funding to $30 million annually without tax increase, has been introduced. The bill’s sponsor, and tourism’s strongest supporter, Senator Jason Allen, (R-Traverse City) introduced SB 690 on August 22nd. With its introduction, it becomes the rallying point for an entire industry.
In light of the partisan rancor surrounding how to resolve Michigan’s $1.8 billion deficit, our battle to increase state investment in tourism presents no small challenge. But if you look at your occupancy levels over the past few years, you realize this is a fight we can’t afford to lose.
The state’s fiscal year ends on September 30. By then, we will have expended the second half of that one-time “gift” of $15 million that was added to augment Travel Michigan’s inadequate $5.7 million budget. That means if we don’t pass SB 690, Travel Michigan’s budget will automatically drop by almost 60% on the first of October. (Meanwhile, regional competitor Pennsylvania just doubled their state investment in tourism to $65 million).
If we fail to respond, we’ll be back to where we started; forced to rely on a Michigan market base that’s been decimated by recession. As the saying goes - you can’t ask people to spend money they don’t have. In failing, we will have allowed an improving situation to take a devastatingly bad turn for the worse. We can’t let that happen. We’ve got to engage. We have to participate in democracy. We must pass SB 690.
This issue of Michigan Lodging exclusively focuses on the things we all need to do to win this fight. In the pages that follow, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions, points you can raise in contact with your local newspaper, your State Senator and Representative, and ways to activate and engage an entire industry in a 30 day campaign to pass SB 690.
The bad news is we’re asking an entire industry to respond at a time when staffing levels are at historic lows. The good news is that we’re activating a call for grassroots action after the official close of the busy summer tourism season and before the fall color season. Between the close of the season and the return of vacationing staff, we all have a bit more time to devote to this tremendously important initiative.
Better still, we’re gearing up to fight for increases in promotion funding on the heels of the “Pure Michigan” campaign winning national acclaim. Just days ago, the Travel Industry Association of America recognized Travel Michigan for having the single-best tourism marketing campaign in the country. “Pure Michigan” also won a national award for the best series of TV commercials.
The timing for these stellar achievements could not be better for our campaign to increase funding and expand those award-winning ads into states that have stronger economies, containing residents who have higher levels of disposable income. Doing so will ramp up tourism demand, create thousands of new jobs, and generate sorely needed tax revenues for the state.
There are a number of things you can do to help members of the Tourism Improving Michigan’s Economy, (TIME) Coalition to pass SB 690. Whether we win it all, get halfway there, or nowhere at all is entirely up to us. When you do any or all of the things below – you dramatically improve our chances for success.
- Visit the TIME Website at www.TisAboutTIME.org. Take a few minutes to review the information and resources it provides to help us build support for passage of SB 690.
- Add your email address to the TIME listserve. We will not share it with any outside party, but having your email address enables us to contact you with urgent calls to contact legislators and/or the Governor’s office when needed.
- Call other tourism businesses in your area. Urge their involvement in the TIME Coalition. Our industry’s diversity has been a weakness in the past, but when we pull together, it becomes our greatest strength.
- Contact your CVB, regional chamber of commerce, and local business organizations and ask them to actively support SB 690. Request that they send resolutions of support to their legislators in Lansing.
- If your senator serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee contact their office via phone, fax, email, or snail mail and request their support of SB 690.
- All of your adult staff are entitled to vote and should be encouraged to participate in this initiative. Gaining staff involvement means one property’s voice can become many, and that dramatically improves our prospects for victory.
- Keep this issue of Michigan Lodging at hand. Make copies and provide them to key staff and industry friends. A link to this issue will be on the TIME Coalition’s website. The talking points, answers to FAQs, everything you need, will never be more than a mouse click away.
We won Post Labor Day Schools by staying involved and engaged. There’s never been a more important issue, and never a more important time for us to join forces in support of our industry and our state. This campaign is all about Tourism Improving Michigan’s Economy. It’s about working together for a better future; it’s about TIME….
