Summary of projects for 2006

TAP has been one of our most popular programs.

   The newest TAP embraces five west central Michigan counties: Lake, Manistee, Mason, Newaygo and Oceana.  The objective of this particular program is to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that will ensure the continued and balanced growth of tourism-related businesses in the five-county region.  Local tourism leaders have indicated the need to increase visitation to the region during the off-season and shoulder seasons. You can access the project web site by clicking here:  Tourism Assistance Program (TAP) in west-central Michigan

Past TAP projects:

   The Straits of Mackinac TAP was completed in 2000, but has spawned interest in follow-up projects that will probably keep us engaged in the area for some time to come.

   The Marlette TAP ended in June 2001. Its focus was on developing a foundation from which to build an expanded ag-tourism industry. Activities included a survey of current attractions and landowner interest in ag-tourism and educational conferences and meetings. Leadership for the project was initially provided by Dr. Dan Spencer and then by Bob Johnson from MSUE in Huron County. Major funding for this TAP was provided from a Kellogg Foundation grant and from TAoE/MSUE funds.

   The third TAP, M-66, focused on the three counties bisected by route M-66 including Barry, Ionia, and Montcalm counties. The primary objectives of this projects were: 1) to develop a tri-country convention and visitors bureau (CVB) under P.A. 59, which authorizes establishing a room assessment to generate revenue to support the CVB's programming; and 2) to assist the new CVB in developing its initial strategic marketing plan.
More information about this project is available on its web site: www.tourismcenter.msu.edu/M-66TAP/M-66Home.asp.

This is our chief vehicle for communicating with our clientele on regular basis. In the fall of 2004, this newsletter was combined with the Michigan Tourism Business e-Newsletter that is published several times a year. To view past issues of the e-Newsletter, please visit this web site: www.imakenews.com/tourism/

We focus our efforts to expand accessibility to information related to community development through tourism on the TAoE web site by providing:

1.   Access to more information - posting most recent statistical and general information provided mostly by TAoE team (County Tourism Profiles, TAoE newsletter “Tourism Matters”, announcements about upcoming tourism and community-related conferences, reports [e.g., a summary report on a completed lodging inventory in UP and NL Michigan]);

2.   Access to more links - adding links to other web sites that provide information on community and tourism development (e.g., regional centers for rural development, database of Extension tourism publications, etc.);

3.   Access to more people - promoting the TAoE web site in the TAoE newsletter “Tourism Matters”, in our e-mail correspondence and other various communication means.

We are facilitating a creation of a comprehensive strategic plan for Michigan’s tourism industry
The Tourism Resource Center is leading this effort in partnership with Travel Michigan and the MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources. Recently, an industry planning council has been formed to identify issues that will be the focus of the plan and council's "task force" groups will work in depth on those issues.  There will also be several "listening sessions" conducted throughout the state to ensure that tourism industry's issues are addressed in the plan.

More information about the strategic plan is available on this web site: www.tourismcenter.msu.edu/Plan/

This program has the dual objectives: a) to orient TAOE members to the industry across Michigan regions and b) to “keep in touch” with the industry, and the challenges and opportunities it faces. It also provides networking opportunities among TAOE members and the opportunity to conduct business and educational functions.