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Tourism Trends for 2023, plus hospitality programs at GVSU & Ferris State (Podcast)

BY AMY SHERMAN

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - This week we attended the Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism held in Grand Rapids and caught up with many friends, who also happen to be some of the very best in the tourism industry.


LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE OR BELOW.

Patty Janes founder of Michigan CARES for Tourism (michigancaresfortourism.com), and Professor in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Grand Valley State University. She shares a little about the CARES program, which brings travel industry professionals together to volunteer on a variety of projects across the state. One project they even completed at the conference: fishing line clean-up kits to help keep boating access sites across Michigan clean and safe.

Amy Dorey Hospitality Management Program Director & Associate Professor, at Ferris State University, and her student Paris Burton, a senior at Ferris State in the Hospitality Management Program join us to talk about growing the next generation of tourism industry pros. If you or a student you know have an interest in exploring this degree, you don't want to miss Paris, as she has found her calling at Ferris.

The big guy himself, Mr. Pure Michigan, Dave Lorenz stops by and shares a little about the new campaign. He explains that "if we aren't welcoming to all, we aren't welcoming" and how this is an important focus for the tourism industry in Michigan moving forward. He also shares the most amazing story about a group of fourth graders in Troy who just might be taking over his job one day.

Finally, Trevor Tkach stops by for an update from beautiful, and beautifully busy, Traverse City. We've loved watching Trevor develop through the years, from his start at the West Michigan Whitecaps to being the director of the National Cherry Festival, to now running the show in Traverse City. He shares a few hidden spots right in town, as well as discusses what the community has been doing to offset some of the issues that have arisen with being such a popular destination.






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