Travel Michigan is launching a new business-to-business portal designed to make it easier for international travel planners to book experiences in Michigan. Tourism Exchange USA is an online global marketplace that enables Pure Michigan’s convention and visitors bureau partners and members to register at no cost. “CVBs help us sign up hotels, attractions, and experiences, so when planners come to the Tourism Exchange, they can say ‘Alright, I want to plan a visit to Michigan—to Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Grand Rapids, for example,'” explains Nick Nerbonne, Travel Michigan’s media, digital, and industry relations director. “They can look at those markets and see what accommodations are available. Are there restaurants that can accommodate groups? Are there museums they want to visit? They can actually book and plan everything right within the exchange.”
A landing page serves as the gateway to explain how the program works and links to the exchange website. “This landing page on michigan.org, which is kind of the entryway, will have the appropriate links for suppliers to sign up to get started,” Nerbonne says.
Michigan is among the first states to adopt the program, which is sponsored by Brand USA. Travel Michigan offered webinars to introduce the program.
