| There is so much happening across Michigan right now – from Tulip Time in Holland and Traverse City Uncorked to Mackinac Island opening for the season to welcome visitors from near and far. This week also marks National Travel and Tourism Week and the start of Pure Michigan Month, both of which celebrate and recognize the critical role of travel in the Great Lakes State.
Celebrating 20 Years of Pure Michigan – All Year Long May is Pure Michigan Month
Pure Michigan, the state’s beloved travel brand, is celebrating Governor Whitmer’s official proclamation of May as Pure Michigan Month. The designation marks the 20th anniversary of the campaign, which has inspired millions of trips while evolving into a symbol of the state’s identity and elevating perceptions of Michigan as a premier four-season destination. In a world full of screens and filters, people are craving genuine experiences – and travelers choose Michigan because of its undeniable authenticity. That sentiment is shared by fans who have used the #PureMichigan hashtag over 9 million times on Instagram alone to share their favorite photos of our vibrant cities, Great Lakes shorelines and beautiful seasons. You can feel this authenticity and nostalgia for Pure Michigan over the years in our latest spot, “Seasons of You”, that celebrates 20 years (and beyond) of creating memories in our incredible state.
Yours Purely Social Campaign Kickoff
To encourage enthusiastic fans to join in on the anniversary celebration, Pure Michigan has launched “Yours Purely,” a digital storytelling initiative that puts the spotlight on the real people who have made the brand what it is today. Fans can share their love for Michigan across social by tagging @puremichigan, #YoursPurely and #PureMichigan20, so our team can share favorite fan memories on the Pure Michigan social channels all year long.
CVB partners are encouraged to participate in Yours Purely as well by sharing their content that celebrates their destination and how it contributes to the unique Pure Michigan experience. If you have yet to do so, you can request the Yours Purely toolkit here.
Thank you to our partners who have shared their Yours Purely stories so far – your unique contributions to this campaign have been inspiring. I would also like to highlight Frankenmuth’s Yours Purely landing page that encourages their visitors to participate in this statewide storytelling project. We can’t wait to see what our partners and fans create throughout the year! Learn more about Pure Michigan Month and the Yours Purely campaign here, and explore the Pure Michigan brand over the years at michigan.org/20years.
National Travel and Tourism Week 2026 This week is U.S. Travel Association’s National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), a time in which we continue to emphasize and highlight the importance of the travel and tourism industry in Michigan and beyond. This year’s theme is “Postmarked: Essential”, which emphasizes that travel is vital to the nation’s economy – supporting countless jobs, communities, and other industries while also making economic growth and opportunity possible.
National Travel and Tourism Week press conference in South Haven.
To underscore this important effort, on Monday, Travel Michigan and Visit South Haven partnered with the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan (TICOM) to host a press conference with tourism leaders, media and stakeholders from across Michigan in South Haven to highlight our industry’s vital role in driving Michigan’s economy. This event also provided a valuable opportunity for media to connect with DMOs and tourism partners from across our two peninsulas. Thank you to Visit South Haven and TICOM for a dynamic 2026 NTTW event that recognized the power of travel and tourism in Michigan. Learn more about the press conference here.
All the best,  Vice President, Pure Michigan
Travel Michigan | 
