Parks & Recreation

Branding Manistee to lure tourists, businesses

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By AMELIA HAVANEC
Capital News Service
LANSING – Creating a community’s brand is more than a logo and a few billboards along the highway. An effective branding strategy promotes recognition and can also unite community residents. “Some people have an impression in their minds of what a city sort of is, and by branding you develop this image and have some control over what that image is going to be,” said Suzeanne Benet, Seidman Marketing Department chair at Grand Valley State University. In the case of Manistee, the area is picturesque, according to Kathryn Kenny, executive director of the Manistee County Visitors Bureau. “Our tagline is ‘naturally more,’” Kenny said.

Parks & Recreation

Branding Grand Rapids to lure tourists, businesses

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By AMELIA HAVANEC
Capital News Service
LANSING – Creating a community’s brand is more than a logo and a few billboards along the highway. An effective branding strategy promotes recognition and can also unite community residents. “Some people have an impression in their minds of what a city sort of is, and by branding you develop this image and have some control over what that image is going to be,” said Suzeanne Benet, Seidman Marketing Department chair at Grand Valley State University. The online BeerCity USA annual poll declared Grand Rapids as its two-time consecutive winner as a top “beer city.”

And there’s more beyond the foam. Attractions such as ArtPrize, Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and museums enhance the city’s profile as a desirable place for tourists and companies to set up base, according to PureMichigan, the state’s tourism promotion agency.

Parks & Recreation

Branding St. Ignace to lure tourists, businesses

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By AMELIA HAVANEC
Capital News Service
LANSING – Creating a community’s brand is more than a logo and a few billboards along the highway. An effective branding strategy promotes recognition and can also unite community residents. “Some people have an impression in their minds of what a city sort of is, and by branding you develop this image and have some control over what that image is going to be,” said Suzeanne Benet, Seidman Marketing Department chair at Grand Valley State University. In the case of St. Ignace, the area is picturesque and historically preserved, according to Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism promotion agency.

Business & Economy

Michigan aims to capture Chinese tourist market

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By ZHAO PENG
Capital News Service
LANSING — The number of Chinese travelers and the amount of money spent per visitor are the highest among all groups of international visitors, according to the U.S. Travel Association. This potential tourism market is capturing the attention of Michigan’s government. For the first time, Gov. Rick Snyder included tourism in the agenda of his recent investment mission to China and touted Michigan’s potential as a destination for international travelers. “China offers Michigan the opportunity to tap into one of the fastest-growing inbound travel markets in the United States,” said Michelle Grinnell, the public relations manager of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. “So Gov. Snyder made tourism and shared cultural and travel promotional opportunities between Michigan and China a key priority on this mission.”
With strong business connections between Michigan and China – business travel accounts for a large portion of international travel to the state – and more than 7,000 Chinese students attending universities in Michigan, there are tremendous opportunities to encourage additional leisure travel to the state by both groups, said Grinnell.