| While we’re in the midst of our industry’s busiest time of the year, 2026 will be even more eventful as it marks our nation’s 250th anniversary. There will undoubtedly be incredible celebrations throughout Pure Michigan and I’m excited to see what our destinations have planned to mark the occasion. I wish you all a wonderful Independence Day and hope you’re able to take the time to experience some slow, relaxing travel opportunities this weekend.
IPW 2025 Recap: Michigan on the World Stage This year, IPW welcomed 5,000 attendees from 64 countries to the Midwest, providing the opportunity for an astounding 100,000 business appointments, to send a clear message that America is open for business. As the world’s leading inbound travel trade show providing important connections with global tour operators and media, Michigan was well represented and positioned for future success. Pure Michigan joined an all-star team from Ann Arbor, Detroit, Frankenmuth, Grand Rapids, Great Lakes Bay, Holland, Jackson, Mackinac Island, Marquette, Petoskey, Traverse City and the Upper Peninsula to participate in significant global travel conversations.  In-person connections allow us to chart a path forward for new business and imperative awareness of Michigan as a dynamic international travel destination. The groundwork established at IPW will elevate Michigan as a key global travel destination for years to come, and has positioned our great state to attract our target international visitors who are searching for genuine travel experiences. Following the show there is still important work to do, with the immediate focus on ensuring the Michigan product is easily located with top-tier tour operators in the United Kingdom and Germany. Receptive operators will be connecting with Travel Michigan and destinations throughout the state to ensure we have the product sourced and readily available. Another vital element of maintaining awareness of our state’s travel opportunities is continuing to tell the Michigan story. This is achieved via our marketing efforts with Cellet (UK), TravelMarketing Romberg (Germany) and Brand USA, as well as leveraging the experiences of tour operators and journalists visiting Michigan this summer and fall. These voices are critical and continue to elevate the Michigan story of a welcoming and world-class travel destination.
New Travel Industry Research Longwoods International has released Wave 97 of their American Travel Sentiment tracking study, indicating further recovery from the pandemic and illustrating how AI is continuing to emerge as a trip planning tool with travelers. - Cautious Travel Spending on Upcoming Trips: More Americans plan to cut back on travel spending, with 37% of travelers saying they are reducing the amount they are spending on retail purchases, a 4% increase from May 2024. Despite this, the number of travelers canceling trips holds steady at only 6%.
- Unpopularity of Remote Work Away from Home: Another interesting shift in American travelers shows that a majority (60%) do not plan to work remotely or away from home in the next one to two years. This is a 5% increase from November 2023.
- Service Levels on the Rise: There has been a significant increase in travelers who have reported they received the same level of service as before the pandemic (compared to August 2024), indicating service levels are improving. However, the data has still not surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
- Trip Planning and AI Software Integration: Since August 2024, there has been a 6% increase in American travelers reporting they have used ChatGPT or similar AI tools to plan their trip. This trend is a reminder of how quickly the integration of AI in the trip planning process is being embraced by travelers.
Campaign Update: Amazon Prime Days To continue inspiring summer travel plans in Michigan, we look for fresh and innovative ways to reach new audiences. As part of this effort, Pure Michigan is participating in Amazon Prime Days via the Travel Deals program. This is also the first time Expedia has allowed one of their deals to be promoted outside of their ecosystem, and their Expedia-funded coupon code will be available during this period to all users who click on the Michigan tile of the Travel Deals landing page on Amazon for Prime members (please note that you need to be logged in to view the page). Users who select the Michigan tile will be navigated to a Michigan Expedia page to clip the coupon code, view hotels and be inspired by our curated content.  Bringing together these powerhouse brands is an excellent opportunity for Pure Michigan to reach a new audience, and the campaign is expected to receive an incredible 163+ million impressions. It began on June 18 and will continue for a three-week lead-up period in which a 15% coupon code offer by Expedia is available. Prime Days are July 8-11, during which time a 20% coupon code is available via Expedia. Traffic is driven to the Travel Deals page via Pure Michigan brand video commercials, as well as Amazon-made digital display banners and a custom video ad.
FRESH Pure Michigan Fragrance In collaboration with The Aroma Labs, a Michigan-based custom perfumery, we’re excited to share that the new FRESH Pure Michigan fragrance is now available for purchase in a 4-oz linen, room and body spray. As Pure Michigan continues to lead in the “slow travel” trend, FRESH allows travelers to experience a Michigan vacation in a bottle with notes reminiscent of sandy freshwater coastlines, Great Lakes wineries and lush lavender fields. Whether travelers want to relive the nostalgia of their favorite vacation memories or imagine their perfect future getaway, FRESH will transport them to an idyllic time and space in Pure Michigan. The Aroma Labs will also debut more fragrances for travelers to experience Michigan’s four beautiful seasons through their senses. This includes HARVEST (fall), FIRST SNOW (winter) and AWAKENING (spring). Learn more about FRESH and our collaboration with The Aroma Labs here.
All the best, Kelly Wolgamott
Vice President, Pure Michigan
Travel Michigan | 
