Michigan Matters: Will Tourism Rebound as the Pandemic's Grip Lessens?
Southfield (CBS Detroit) - As the July 4th holiday weekend kicks off the critical summer season, leaders involved in travel, conventions and events appear on CBS 62's "Michigan Matters" 7:30 am Sunday to discuss its path to recovery as the pandemic slows down.
Claude Molinari, President and CEO of the Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau, Karen Delhey, Director of the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, and Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan, appear with Carol Cain, Senior Producer/Host, to discuss how the industry is trying to rebound.
Molinari talked about the importance of Detroit to the region and its ability to lure conventions again.
Lorenz talked how pent up demand for travel and going to events would spur on this industry. Pure Michigan will be running ads touting Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and other cities as destinations as research shows people will be sticking closer to home when they do travel.
Delhey, who announced in late May they would hold the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on July 15-17, discussed how it has been modified. It will be held Thursday through Saturday and there will be more space between exhibits to allow for health protocols.
The event will feature 600 artists including Jeff Thamert, an artist and photographer who lives in Titusville, Fla. While his studio was shut down, he decided to travel the country with his wife and took many amazing photos.
"We had to close the gallery down for a month and a half and all of our art shows were also cancelled," Thamert said. "We used that time to travel. We went cross country, visited 22 states and drove nearly 9000 miles to visit national parks White Sands, NM, Zion and Bryce Canyons, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, the Badlands, the Black Hills, the Ozarks and Pictured Rocks."
You can see his photos and the work of 600 other artists from across the nation at the Ann Arbor Art Fair July15-17.
Watch Michigan Matters, Sunday at 7:30am on CBS 62
