The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has taken another shot at the Pure Michigan tourism advertising campaign. Mackinac Center Policy Analyst Michael LaFaive tells WSJM News a Michigan Auditor General review found more than $13 million in state tax dollars were excluded from the return-on-investment calculations made by the state’s tourism consultant for Pure Michigan in 2016. The Mackinac Center views the Pure Michigan program as not worth it.
“We found that there was an impact from tourism promotion spending, but it was puny and a net negative” LaFaive said.
LaFaive tells us there could be better ways to spend the money.
“I think if you spent it just filling potholes, you would probably produce a higher return on investment than this program produces,” LaFaive said.
The Mackinac Center releases its latest Pure Michigan piece as the Governor’s Conference on Tourism begins this week. You can see the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s Pure Michigan report right here.
