Lynne Piippo, director of the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau, and Bill Bertchinger, acting director of Mackinaw City Visitors Bureau, are working together to cross-promote events, such as the 50h annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk, to counteract Michigan's slumping economy and expected declining tourism industry. "If we do everything together, help promote the region, not just our own communities, it makes us all stronger," said Mrs. Piippo. Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Canada, lend us your tourists. That is the promotional strategy many tourist-oriented businesses in the Straits area have in place to bolster Michigan's dreary economy. Tourism this summer is expected to see 2% fewer travelers, and travel costs are expected to rise as much as 4%, according to Michigan State University's annual prediction for the summer tourist season. In recent years, local promotions have targeted nearby, in-state travelers who may have vacationed out of state before the economy slipped. But with little hope that rising gasoline prices, the mortgage crisis, and high unemployment will let up, businesses have been expanding advertising into other Midwestern states and Canada.

"For the first time, we are advertising in Ontario, as far as Toronto," said Bill Bertchinger, interim director of Mackinaw City Visitors Bureau and board chairman. "We're looking at all surrounding states" for tourists who can make it to the Straits area in a day's drive.

The bureau increased its advertising spending this year by $15,000, adding northern Kentucky, Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Wisconsin markets to the list of target areas.

Tourists in neighboring Midwestern states with better economies may be able to travel farther than their Michigan counter- parts, suggested Chris Shepler, of Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry, a member of the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau.

"There is still a high percentage of our travelers coming from Michigan, but we can expect more out-of-state travelers," he said. "Gas prices are affecting everyone in the country, but I think tourism in America, in general, is doing well. Those Midwest travelers aren't going to go to the West Coast, they're going to stay around here in the Midwest."

At the Travel Michigan's Driving Tourism 2008 conference in Grand Rapids in mid-April, Mr. Shepler said forecasts were reminiscent of the depressed 1970s, but help could come if the state appropriates another $45 million for Travel Michigan's statewide tourism advertising campaign called "Pure Michigan." The funding would be raised by refinancing some of the tobacco bonds used to create the state's 21st Century Jobs Fund.

The state normally funds $15 million for business and tourism marketing.

"It's a fact that the state gets back $2.82 for every dollar we spend on advertising," said Mr. Shepler, "so this would be a big boost."

Diversity in advertising and expanding it beyond Michigan's borders are only going to strengthen the area's marketability, said Greg Hokans, chief of development and marketing for Mackinac State Historic Parks in Mackinaw City and on Mackinac Island.

"It's good to have parking lots filled with different license plates, because when one state struggles, then we diversify into other states," he noted. "Michigan is struggling right now, and other states are more economically stable."

The trend of more out-of-state travelers coming to the Straits area is evident in the park's ticket sales. In 2002, 47% of all Mackinac State Historic Park visitors came from out of state, said Mr. Hokans. Last year, that percentage increased to 55%.

"Michigan is going through an economic revival, a transformation," Mr. Hokans said. "Attracting more customers outside of the state is only a good thing because when Michigan rebounds, we'll be that much more of a stronger market."

Mr. Hokans points to the expanded Discovery Park at Historic Mill Creek as a way his agency is trying to appeal to a new market.

This summer the site near Mackinaw City will feature educational outdoor activities that highlight natural resources, with handson activities at its water mill, highrise walking tours through the forest, and an aerial cable ride.

"The Discovery Park is exactly the type of transformation we need to do," he said. "Being able to combine our stewardship responsibilities of preserving and protecting our natural resources with attracting more people that can enjoy them, it goes back to the diversification of market and product."

Mackinac Island businesses know that the resort island is always a strong draw for travelers, in-state and worldwide, but hey, too, are feeling the impact of Michigan's struggling economy and are aggressively expanding promotion.

Both Grand Hotel and Mission Point Resort report an increase in bookings for the summer.

Mission Point Resort has expanded its regional advertising, stretching into Canada and Wisconsin, while continuing to draw tourists from Chicago and Toledo.

The resort is becoming a wedding destination. Mission Point has booked 105 weddings this year and 160 for next year. Resort General Manager Bryan Dickey and his staff are also providing special packages for returning customers.

"We put more money into our advertising this year," he said. "We're doing much better this year, and last year we did well. Our group sales are superb and we are getting a great response from our transient customers."

By also offering packages for all customers during May and June, and installing new beds in every room, Mr. Dickey is hoping for good results.

"Our number-one concern is great value for our guests," he said. "Everything is value. We want to pamper everyone, whether they're paying $8.50 or a thousand dollars."

Arnold Transit Company introduced several offers last year that the ferry line will continue to use. Online coupons for ferry tickets and two-day passes at a discounted rate have drawn interest, said Laura Brown, the company's director of group sales.

Star Line, Arnold Transit, and Shepler's have seen the potential in marketing their services in the Straits of Mackinac, establishing a sunset cruise program as a cooperative effort. Shepler's also has a lighthouse tour, and Arnold Transit provides theme and musical cruises. All three lines are available for private cruises for events such as weddings, anniversaries, and proms.

Shepler's has provided customers the option of purchasing ferry tickets and parking online. It has also created a training program for employees that emphasizes providing the best guest services.

"It's about engaging guests the moment they arrive," said Mr. Shepler. "We want the guests' experience as enjoyable as possible."

New Marketing Strategy:

Work Together

Both visitors bureaus in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace will partner to promote the 51/50 Labor Day Festival, a new event celebrating the 51st anniversary of the Mackinac Bridge and the 50th annual bridge walk.

"It's a cross promotion on both sides of the bridge," said Mr. Bertchinger. "There's definitely more teamwork among tourism organizations, and there will be a lot of promotions spilling over from one area to the other."

St. Ignace Visitors Bureau Director Lynne Piippo is excited about building a partnership with other local tourism agencies in the Straits area.

"It gives us an opportunity to reach out and really sell the region," she said. "If we do everything together, help promote the region, not just our own communities, it makes us all stronger."

One focus of the promotion is the Internet.

The Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce reported that, by May, Cedarville and Hessel will be added to three Web sites (Michigan Back Roads, Travel in Michigan, and Up North Michigan) highlighting small Michigan communities suitable for family road trips.

St. Ignace will soon be connected with Web links that will promote the entire E.U.P., Mrs. Piippo said. TravelNorth.org, eChamberConnection, and, coming soon, a countywide promotional Web site called Ports of Mackinac, are hoped to draw more vacationers to the Straits area.

"We, like many businesses, are refocusing our marketing dollars," said Mrs. Piippo. "Billboards and publication advertising are becoming less and less important and the electronic media are becoming bigger. It makes sense because most people now go online to research a vacation spot before making a trip."

The Visitors Bureau is revamping its Web site to create a fresh look and to update new events. It will also share a print advertisement with Michigan AAA.

Visitors Bureau board president Mark Sposito is creating 30-inch by 40-inch photograph displays for all 13 welcome centers in the state that will promote year-around recreational activities in St. Ignace. Each display comes with a rack of business cards that provide contact

information to the Visitors Bureau.

"We want to establish ourselves as a year-around vacation destination," said Mr. Sposito, a St. Ignace restaurant owner, pointing out that if the effort is successful, summers won't have to be relied on so heavily for the year's revenue. "Our winter events are drawing more people in, and if we can get them to come back even once in the summer, that helps."

St. Ignace hotels were up 13% in February over last year, he said.

"Not that we can do this every time, but our family was able to sell a building [Varsity Building, the former Knights of Columbus Hall] to people visiting as spectators for the pond hockey tournament in February," Mr. Sposito said. "When people come here, if they have a good experience, they'll be looking at our town to possibly move here, vacation more here, and even invest in business here."

Hosting new events in town has been a key part of the approach.

New events like the Yooper Motorcycle Show on Memorial Day and a walking ghost tour on the shoreline boardwalk will help boost St. Ignace's summer and fall tourism campaign, along with continuing events such as the St. Ignace Fish Feast July 26, Rendezvous on the Straits, which is a Native American and French voyageur powwow August 23 and 24, and Bayside Fall Festival and Autumn Musicale October 4.

In addition to the 51/50 Mackinac Bridge event, the area will commemorate the 100th annual Chicago-to-Mackinac Island Yacht Race and Mackinac State Historic Parks' 50th anniversary of its museum program.

While motel owners David Swope and David Goldthorpe have seen a decline in business for several years, both continue to be optimistic about the upcoming summer.

"You always have to go into the summer with optimism because there's no better way than to be upbeat," said Mr. Goldthorpe.

"You have to think positive, really, but you just don't know what the summer will bring," said Mr. Swope.

Mr. Goldthorpe believes the Straits area is beginning to see the potential value of marketing not just out of state, but out of country.

"I think Canada and China are markets that we haven't even noticed before," he said. "They may very well be strong markets for us."

Mr. Goldthorpe would not only like to see local tourism advertising expand through the Internet, but he would like businesses to offer ways to entertain people on poor weather days.

"People need to go some place, do something during bad weather," he said.

The Straits area, in general, is in better shape to weather the current economic storm than other tourism areas, said Mrs. Piippo.

"We saw an increase of 6% in hotel revenue from the whole year last year when we were expected to go flat," she said. "We're not as strong as we were in 1999, but we're holding well."

The area's natural beauty, the water, Mackinac Island, and affordable vacationing and amenities are keeping the Straits area competitive and afloat, said Mrs. Piippo.

"We offer a variety of vacation stays here, from mom and pop properties to campgrounds to your onthe water resorts," she said. "Unlike many other places, we're able to give visitors more of a choice in the price range they can afford."