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St. Joseph harbor is one of more than 20 Lake Michigan ports along the coastline of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Photo courtesy of Pure Michigan.
Every Michigan resident is likely familiar with the statistics: Michigan, with more than 11,000 inland lakes and touched by four of the five Great Lakes, has more freshwater shoreline than any other state in the country. In Michigan, you are never more than six miles from a lake or stream, or 85 miles from one of the Great Lakes.
Beyond the stats, Michigan’s abundant water assets are also having a real impact on the state’s economy. According to a new study commissioned by the Michigan Port Collaborative and released in April, Michigan’s ports and harbors produced $19.7 billion in economic impact in 2017. Of that total, approximately $15.4 billion can be attributed to water-based tourism and recreation. Roughly 151,000 jobs were supported in Michigan by the ports and harbors, with $7.7 billion in labor income. This overall economic impact is four times higher than that found in previous statewide port economic studies, according to the Michigan Port Collaborative.
“We devised this ‘full spectrum’ study to also include economic drivers for individual ports that add economic values which have not been included in previous studies such as port specific businesses, port specific tourism and port specific recreation,” said Michigan Port Collaborative President Felicia Fairchild.
In addition to the statewide analyses, the report looked at the 17 individual harbor communities that contributed to the study. The communities represent a diverse mix of both economics and geography and have vibrant recreational components supporting significant economic activity.
“The diversity and quality of the lake experiences found all throughout Michigan really set us apart in terms of a travel destination, and this study illustrates the impact our abundant fresh water has on the state’s economy,” said Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “This economic impact study also further underscores the importance of protecting and preserving Michigan’s water resources.”
Cruise the Great Lakes
 Invited guests and news media listen to remarks from Cruise the Great Lakes officials at the initiative’s Aug. 30, 2018 kickoff news conference on Mackinac Island. The event coincided with a port of call by Victory Cruise Line’s luxury ship, Victory I, now entering its fourth year touring the Great Lakes. (Photo courtesy of Cruise the Great Lakes).
While the study took a comprehensive look at several economic drivers including traditional maritime measures of Michigan’s ports such as commercial shipping, a major focus was on the impact of water-related tourism and recreational activities at Michigan’s ports and harbors.
The “Cruise the Great Lakes” initiative launched in 2018 led by representatives from Great Lakes States and Canadian Provinces and organized by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers, is looking to leverage the region’s waterways to generate additional economic impact. With the aim of bringing more cruise passengers to the Great Lakes, officials say travel on the Great Lakes Waterway is poised for major growth in the coming years, delivering significant economic benefits for the entire region.
Lorenz, who also serves as chair of the Cruise the Great Lakes initiative, said the mission of Cruise the Great Lakes is to promote cruising in the Great Lakes through an optimized and unique brand targeted toward current and potential passengers.
“Our immediate focus is on marketing to potential consumers, both passengers and tour operators, in North America to continue to grow this market segment in the Great Lakes and specifically here in Michigan,” Lorenz said.
A story in the April - June 2018 issue of Great Lakes Seaway Review affirms that interest in cruising the Great Lakes is at an all-time high, with eight ships taking 85 separate voyages through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway system and more cruise lines looking to add additional ships in the coming years. These facts are complemented by the recent Chicago Tribune article citing American tourists’ desire to travel closer to home and the growing interest by more and more cruise lines in traveling Great Lakes waters.
For news and updates on the Great Lakes and waterway initiatives, click here. Interested in traveling to Michigan? Your trip begins at michigan.org.
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