Michigan vacationer areas banking on ‘sluggish journey’ to woo summer season guests

The U.S. conflict with Iran, increased journey prices and a pointy drop in Canadian guests all current powerful headwinds for Michigan’s tourism business, however as operators stay up for the height summer season season, they’re cautiously optimistic. The purpose? The “slow travel” development.

Places, comparable to Petoskey, Traverse City and Grand Rapids, are banking on vacationers searching for nearer, extra reasonably priced getaways — a conventional response to uncertainty and monetary pressures, mentioned Patrick Brys, a member of the Michigan Travel Commission and CEO of Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City.

“There’s different things happening in the world right now,” Brys mentioned. “What we’ve seen is that when people — there’s insecurity out there, or they’re not sure if they want to travel, or maybe even if their budgets are not as big as other years, then they tend to focus more on local travel. And sometimes some of the best experiences are right in your backyard.”

Major attracts like America’s 250th anniversary celebrations are anticipated to assist offset worldwide declines as guests drive to see extra of the state. That’s the type of journey many Michigan locations are getting ready for this summer season.

“I always use the term One Tank Trip,” mentioned Jim Powell, president of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau. “To get up here and enjoy yourself, reconnect with nature and enjoy all the amenities that we have up here.”

Canadian customer drop persists

The decline in Canadian journey has lingered into this yr amid a backlash to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and feedback about making the U.S. northern neighbor the 51st state.

The variety of individuals crossing into Michigan from Canada throughout January and February in 2026 fell about 10% in comparison with the identical interval in 2025, whereas automobile visitors declined about 8%, in line with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

About 10 million fewer Canadians traveled to the United States in 2025 in contrast with the prior yr, a 25% drop, in line with Statistics Canada. As worldwide journey continues to lag, early suggestions means that home journey will assist offset the slowdown.

“From a good news-bad news story, I would say that the bad news was that Canadian travel, at least from a tourism standpoint, was down about 30% to southeast Michigan,” mentioned Claude Molinari, CEO of Visit Detroit. “But overall, we were pretty much flat as far as hotel occupancy. So that means that we made up for it in other areas.”

Hotel occupancy within the first quarter is working about 4% forward of final yr, he mentioned: “That takes into account the fact that Canada’s off. So that’s good news for what we’re doing.”

Every yr for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic, the variety of vacationers has risen, and this yr is predicted to be no totally different. In reality, AAA-The Auto Club Group initiatives 2026 to be the busiest journey yr but, with 36% of Michiganians planning to take extra journeys than in 2025.

According to AAA’s Consumer Pulse Survey, not solely has the intent to journey elevated, however people are planning a number of journeys. More than half of Michiganians, or 54%, plan to take a number of journeys this yr, with 44% planning two to 3 holidays of three days or extra.

“Travel demand is not just holding, it’s accelerating,” mentioned Debbie Haas, AAA’s vp of journey, in a launch.

Noting current journey survey knowledge, Janet Korn, senior vp with Experience Grand Rapids, mentioned she is optimistic that persons are planning to take extra journeys and price range extra for journey.

“People are wanting to … get away, go explore some place you’ve been before, or go and explore some new experience that you haven’t visited before,” Korn mentioned.

Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism advertising web site, is leaning into the rise of “slow travel,” encouraging guests to kind deeper connections with the state’s landscapes and communities.

“In a world that often feels fast-paced and overscheduled, travel is an opportunity to step back, reconnect and focus on what matters most,” mentioned Kelly Wolgamott, vp of Pure Michigan, a part of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Meanwhile, tourism officers are cautiously optimistic that tensions between the United States and Canada will ease.

“I think that doesn’t hurt that the federal government seems to be less focused on Canada and maybe more focused on some other issues right now,” Molinari mentioned. “That does give me some hope that we’ll be able to more normalize relations with our friends south of Detroit.”

Gas value spike impacts plans

As for gasoline costs, the common within the Great Lakes State was $4.01 per gallon for normal as of Tuesday, in line with AAA. Pump costs are up by greater than $1 for the reason that United States and Israel started attacking Iran in late February.

“We’re now into prices we haven’t seen since 2022,” mentioned Adrienne Woodland, AAA’s spokesperson.

Yet at the same time as Michigan pump costs peaked at $5.22 a gallon in June 2022, summer season journey was nonetheless increased than the yr prior, AAA officers confirmed.

“Even though we were facing record-high gas prices, people still wanted to travel,” Woodland mentioned. “They just may look for other ways to save money, so they’ll travel, they may not eat out as much, or they’ll look for inexpensive or free activities, but they still want to take those trips.”

Tourism officers in some areas say the area’s tourism base helps offset broader considerations, like gasoline costs.

Trevor Tkach, CEO of Traverse City Tourism, is optimistic the area will see a robust summer season as individuals look to take “short local trips this year that just can make it easy on the budget.”

Jim Powell, govt director on the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, mentioned he’s heard from members that they’re seeing an excellent variety of bookings for summer season journey.

“I think certainly we’re keeping one eye, you know, the economic uncertainty that … always seems to be hovering over on multiple fronts,” he mentioned. “We had a really strong summer last year. I think it was close to a record visitation summer for us last year, and I think we’ll probably match that.”

Businesses spiff up for summer season

On Mackinac Island, lodge operators are getting ready for what they count on can be a strong summer season season.

Hotel bookings for the primary few months are flat or up to this point, mentioned Steph Castelein, managing director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Travelers are anticipated to start out returning to the island this month as Arnold Transit Company and Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry resume spring service to and from the island on April 21.

While Canadian visitation dropped final yr, it represents a smaller share of total guests to the island, Castelein mentioned.

“Majority of our travelers and visitors come from our travel markets, so primarily Michigan, of course, and then into Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio,” she mentioned. “We get a lot from Pennsylvania. But I don’t think that there was any big change in numbers for domestic versus International outside Canada.”

Mackinac Island is among the many locations in Michigan that can lean into America 250 celebrations. Plans embody commemorating the semiquincentennial with Mackinac State Historic Parks conducting each day applications exploring the American Revolution. Visitors can discover the Soldiers’ Barracks, cease by a totally renovated customer’s middle and move by means of a redesigned historic entrance at Fort Mackinac.

Other locations throughout Michigan are additionally planning anniversary occasions, together with The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, which is that includes a yearlong celebration known as “America: 250 Years in the Making.”

Back on Mackinac Island, the Grand Hotel is providing a three-night America 250 bundle with particular eating experiences, a youngsters’s carnival, July 4 programming and fireworks.

There are a wide range of modifications and developments throughout venues and motels on Mackinac Island, Castelein mentioned.

Mission Point Resort is debuting Adirondacks Pizza, a brand new informal eating idea within the Mission Point Marketplace, the place friends can take pleasure in handcrafted slices on the resort’s iconic nice garden.

When it opens in mid-May, Harbour View Inn will reveal a multimillion-dollar renovation that has reworked its visitor rooms, suites and gardens. The venture has been ongoing for the previous couple of years because the inn has taken on new possession, mentioned Tawnya Johnson, chief advertising officer for lodge funding providers for Harbour View Inn.

Last winter, the main target was on public areas, adopted by visitor rooms this previous offseason, Johnson mentioned.

Johnson describes the upgrades as together with “all refreshed interior spaces that feel very much like Mackinac Island. It’s really bright and airy, feels very cottagey and summery.”

In Grand Rapids, one expected draw is the city’s new $184 million Acrisure Amphitheater, a 12,000-seat outdoor music and entertainment venue opening in mid-May.

“It’s amazingly nice,” Korn said. “It’s brand new, so of course, it’s going to be great. But what a cool experience to be able to go into a downtown area and experience the nightlife and the energy of a city, and also see the music all in one trip. It’s where our city used to park their public works trucks and things, and the decision was made that there might be a better use for the edge of the river than that.”

In northwest lower Michigan, Brys said the Traverse City region’s growing food and wine reputation is drawing more visitors, with increasing national recognition and a rising number of wineries and acclaimed restaurants. That momentum is fueling interest in events like the Traverse City Food & Wine Festival, which he described as a major success in its inaugural run last year.

Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery hosted four festival events, which he sold out: “We saw just tremendous interest,” he mentioned. “People were able to come and experience all the things that happened in Traverse City all in one week.”

In Petoskey, the Home2 Suites by Hilton Petoskey is expected to open this summer after about a year of construction, with the extended-stay property becoming the first new hotel in the area in roughly five years.

Powell said Petoskey is expanding beyond its traditional drive market, launching a marketing campaign aimed at air travelers, including a test push into the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

“One of the unique things that we’re doing this year was we’re actually going to reach out to a fly market,” he mentioned. “That’s something we have not done before.”

Boyne Resorts’ Inn at Bay Harbor is now working as an impartial resort separate from the Marriott portfolio, permitting the property so as to add “refined culinary offerings and bespoke programming along the shores of Little Traverse Bay,” mentioned Erin Ernst, Boyne Resorts spokesperson, in an e-mail.

Boyne Mountain Resort and The Highlands are included within the resort’s portfolio of northern Michigan properties. This summer season brings the second season of Doon Brae, The Highlands’ brief course, which can be one other attraction accessible for golf fans heading up north.

“We’re proud to play a part in what makes the Petoskey area a destination worth returning to summer after summer,” Ernst mentioned.

cwilliams@detroitnews.com

mjohnson@detroitnews.com