The western U.P. is often more culturally tied to Wisconsin than Michigan, but a new campaign from the state’s Pure Michigan tourism outreach is underway to brand the region as The Wilds of Michigan.
Gogebic and Ontonagon counties are the focus of the campaign, with the Ottawa National Forest and the Porcupine Wilderness State Park to be part of the draw for wilderness-seeking visitors. Other agencies on board include local governments, parks and forest departments, visitors’ bureaus, local business bureaus, and the Marquette-based Northern Initiatives.
The Wilds of Michigan, as the alliance is called, plans to help spur economic development by publicizing the western U.P. more strongly to tourists, and highlighting its offerings online with a new website and Facebook page.
It’s already drawn quite a bit of attention, consistently hitting good viewer numbers both through the Pure Michigan website and on its own. Part of that is probably the in-depth tourism offerings on the site; visitors can explore possible western U.P. destinations, choose pre-planned trip itineraries or make their own; read about outdoor recreation, lodging, community events and view local maps and photos.
The website has a variety of tools and features that allow visitors to explore The Wilds online and plan future trips to the region. Whether utilizing pre-planned itineraries or choosing destinations based on stunning photos that catch your eye, the website allows anyone to answer their call to the wild,” says Christine Rector, director of regional strategies for Northern Initiatives.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Christine Rector, Northern Initiatives
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