Mother Nature has already teased us with snow in some parts of Michigan and as we slide into the second half of November, we are excited to launch the Pure Michigan winter campaign this week. Travelers in-state and throughout the Great Lakes region will see two TV ads, Still Pure and Loud and the campaign will utilize broadcast and connected TV, online video, digital ads, and social media.

We saw impressive results from last year’s effort and we’re expecting similar gains with this year’s $3 million program. The TV ads will be seen in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Lansing, Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Traverse City, Cadillac, Marquette and Alpena. Out-of-state markets include Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Fort Wayne, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, South Bend and Toledo.

The launch of the Pure Michigan campaign comes just ahead of the opening of many of Michigan’s ski resorts for the year. Travelers can check ahead to learn how to ski and snowboard while also traveling safely to resorts and ski areas across the state by visiting the Michigan Snowsports Industries’ COVID-19 policies page. Travelers are also encouraged to check their favorite ski areas’ websites for information about opening day, safety protocol such as mask requirements, purchasing tickets in advance, and more.

It is also the perfect opportunity to remind people to Support Local this holiday season – whether that is doing your holiday shopping in downtown retailers, grabbing a bite to eat with family and friends or giving the gift of travel this holiday season. I encourage you to check out the michigan.org/supportlocal landing page or use the hashtag #SupportLocalMI to share some of your favorite small businesses here in the state.

One of the reasons we’re bullish on the upcoming season is that travel sentiment continues to improve in America. In the latest Longwoods International survey, 70% of respondents said they now feel comfortable traveling outside their community; 89% indicated that they have plans to travel in the next six months and a third of Americans said that COVID no longer has any influence on their travel plans.

And, almost a year after Pfizer rolled out the first trucks carrying life-saving vaccines from their Portage facility, 70% of Michiganders, 16 years of age and older, have received at least one dose. If you still need to be fully vaccinated or need a booster, you’ll find INFO at Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

For the last few months, we’ve been introducing you to the Travel Michigan team. Today, meet Kathleen Achtenberg.

Kath joined the MEDC Marketing/Communications team in 2011 as a communications specialist. She serves as MEDC’s Public Information Officer and is responsible for providing writing, editing and media/public relations services for the entire organization, including Travel Michigan. She also serves as liaison to the governor’s communications office.

Prior to coming to MEDC, Kathy was a communications specialist at the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, where she was responsible for providing writing, editing and public/media relations services for both internal and external audiences statewide. She also served as the Public Information Officer for the Office of Financial and Insurance Services.

In her spare time, Kathy enjoys working out, cooking, reading, crafting, and spending time with friends and family. She and her husband Rich are avid boaters and spend as much time as possible on the water exploring various ports of call. She has two children, Max, 27, and Annabel, 23.

I’m getting excited about the upcoming season. Even if you are not a winter fan, you have to agree that it’s a beautiful time of the year. If you aren’t into the outdoor scene, luckily…we have some really great resorts where you can just sit inside and soak in the scenery unfolding before you.  

As we kick off a new campaign, we look forward to the arrival of a new season and the opportunities that await us.

All best,
David Lorenz
Vice President
Travel Michigan
517-243-3073       

Photo: Boyne Mountain Courtesy of Instagram Fan-michiganmagictreehouse- https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ175jYjPO1/

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