TRAVERSE CITY— With the Memorial Day weekend here, the summer tourist season in northern Michigan is about to begin. Things are about to get a whole lot busier for restaurants and shops in Downtown Traverse City.
“It can get hectic. It can get crazy,” says Nate Coots, Supervisor Manager at Momentum, ‘We have a lot of people that are coming through this store through the summer, and so it can get very crazy. But I love that aspect of it.”
According to Traverse City Tourism’s 2022 report, the area saw around 7.3 million visitors. It’s hard to predict what the numbers could be like in the future when factors out of their control are in play.
“Some people make choices based on the weather,” says Trevor Tkach, CEO TC Tourism, “Some people are making choices based on, you know, their financial circumstances. But all in all, things are looking promising. The intent to travel is extremely high.”
Summer time in Traverse City brings in a lot of revenue for the area, bringing in an average of $1.4 billion dollars.
Hello Friend’s Boutique is new to Front Street and they are ready for more people to stop in.
It has been everything and anything we’ve dreamed of,” says Sarah Herman Sales, “Everybody has been so welcoming. We’ve been very grateful to be a part of the downtown association.”
Tourism is a big part of northern Michigan’s economy and sales in the summer. A bad year can have lasting impacts on businesses.
“We need to have a strong summer economy for the to make up for the months that aren’t as, as productive for us, “explains Tkach, “So thinking about, you know, the downtown mom and pop shops and all those employees who are depending on making a really good, wage during the summer, you know, to kind of help carry through the rest of the year.”
Another sign that summer is close, is the curbside seating along Front Street where restaurant customers can enjoy a meal outside. The people at the Downtown Development Authority say downtown is ready.
“You know, Memorial Day always does feel kind of a rite of passage for the first day of summer,” Harry Burkholder, DDA COO, “And certainly, I think our hotels will be full. We’re getting downtown ready. We’re cleaning the sidewalks, getting the planners in and making sure everything looks good and ready and excited for kick off the summer.”