CADILLAC--With hundreds of miles of trail for snowmobiling and the right blend of cold and snow, tourism is booming in Northern Michigan.
“Cadillac has had decades and decades of snowmobilers and so it’s pretty exciting that this year that we have a snowmobile season again,” said Cadillac Visitors Bureau executive director Kathy Morin.
The weather outside is not frightening, it’s perfect for snowmobiling, lots of snow and cold temperatures to keep it from melting away.
“No business, no snow! It hurts the economy and hurts everyone in town.”
That’s Victor Caminata, he owns Greater North Power Sports in Cadillac where he rents snowmobiles. His favorite phrase is snow equals money; therefore, he wants to see more of it.
“We like it to be more than this, but at least we can get sleds out on what we have. We’d rather it be about a foot or two feet of snow. But we’ll take with what we got, we’ll make it work.”
While we may not have massive amounts of snow, it’s enough for business to boom with tourists coming to enjoy snowmobiling on the trails.
“Last week and this weekend and next weekend, we’re sold out, we have over a hundred sleds,” said Caminata.
The snow has been a moneymaker over at Evergreen Resort.
To the south of the hotel, you can see snowmobilers gleefully gliding across the trail.
“It brings in people from all over, not only Michigan and down south Michigan, but Indiana, we have people coming here from 20 years ago and they come here when there’s snow,” said Evergreen Resort general manager Davis Vigne. “But if there’s no snow they don’t visit and you know, they don’t eat in the different restaurants either. So it’s nice to see guests come up, enjoy the hotel, and the other businesses that go along with it.”
The investment into winter tourism works hand in hand with the Cadillac Area Visitor’s Bureau so they can market the mitten.
“Funding comes directly from a 5% lodging assessment with these lodging properties, Evergreen Resort and Comfort Inn or Holiday Inn Express,” said Morin. “If somebody stays in one of the hotel rooms, that 5% assessment on the visitor is remitted to us. And that’s how we’re funded to in turn promote and reinvest those dollars back into our communities,” said Morin.
