Tourism is obviously important to Michigan’s hospitality industry, which depends on residents as well as visitors to travel around the state utilizing lodging and meeting spaces, dining at restaurants, and visiting attractions.
In appreciation, the industry has been giving back for the past 10 years—which is how long it’s been since the Michigan Cares for Tourism effort was launched. In that time, some 3,500 volunteers representing CVBs, hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, and related industries have provided $1 million in volunteer labor and supplies with boots on the ground improving Michigan’s historic, cultural, and natural attractions.
The initiative was spearheaded by Grand Valley State University professor of hospitality and tourism management Patty Janes, modeled after the national nonprofit Tourism Cares.
The first Michigan event was held at the Waterloo State Recreation Area in Chelsea, where the group will gather for a reunion on Sept. 11 to mark the initiative’s 10th anniversary. Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, they’ll be working at Cambridge Junction Historic State Park in Brooklyn.
“It has beautiful historic buildings we’re going to work on—we have about 15 different projects we’re going to help them with,” Janes says.
About 100 volunteers are expected to participate. They’ll be building a mini stage for the musical groups that perform at Cambridge Junction and working on connecting trails. A vintage baseball team will play at the park and the volunteers will be improving game signage. They’ll also paint fencing.
“We’ll be rebuilding picnic tables,” Janes adds. “The tables there really need some help. … The ultimate goal is that people who visit will have a better experience as a result of the work.”
Another event Oct. 7 has the group gathering at Oakhill Cemetery in Grand Rapids. Janes says they’ll be doing some building restoration, working on landscaping, and cleaning tombstones so they’ll be more readable.
Because of COVID-19, volunteers in 2021 divided into smaller groups and worked on nine outdoor projects over 30 days across the state.
All of the efforts serve to unify the industry while providing a public service and infrastructure improvements, Janes says. Supplies are covered by participants’ sign-up fees and other donations, often helping compensate for lack of available local funding.
“It creates a synergy across disciplines … you’ve got CVB people working with a restaurateur working with a hotelier, and all from different geographies,” Janes says. “So we build a stronger community, a stronger network.”
Besides, she adds, moving it around to different parts of the state helps expose volunteers to areas they might not have visited before.
“We have found tourism industry people started traveling back to these places,” says Janes.
To learn more, visit michigancaresfortourism.com.
