Displaying items by tag: Experience Grand Rapids

West Michigan tourism officials are reporting upward trends in travel and hotel stays as COVID-19 restrictions lift, and leaders are optimistic about the local tourism economy for the rest of the summer.

The Pure Michigan campaign that for 15 years has worked to brand and change perceptions of Michigan will focus on in-state and regional travelers this summer as opposed to a nationwide campaign.

GRAND RAPIDS — After an economically grim 2020, Grand Rapids event and entertainment officials say they’re optimistic about pent-up demand, COVID-19 vaccines and a new standard of hybrid in-person and virtual programs.

The tourism and hospitality sectors took a major hit in 2020 but are expected to slowly rebound in 2021 with positive news about the COVID-19 vaccine. Experience Grand Rapids Executive Director Doug Small is among industry leaders predicting it will take longer than a year for tourism to return to pre-pandemic levels, but a few larger projects on the horizon could provide Grand Rapids with some momentum in the new year. Hotels hit historically low occupancy rates in 2020, and Kent County hit a low in April with an 18 percent average occupancy rate. Occupancy levels are expected to increase in 2021, but are still expected to fall short of pre-pandemic levels.

GRAND RAPIDS — A downtown Grand Rapids amphitheater appears to be the most plausible of the major downtown development projects now being pursued by Grand Action.

GRAND RAPIDS — The business group that pushed several major developments over the past 25 years is now focused on a downtown convention center expansion, an amphitheater and a professional soccer stadium.

Occupancy rates are slowly inching back up, but regional tourism leaders say it will take years for hotels to make up for lost profits caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County’s hotel occupancy has started to rebound since the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a major downtown Grand Rapids hotel operator anticipates only being able to call back half of the 1,200 employees it furloughed in April.

GRAND RAPIDS — Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. is reallocating $50,000 it initially budgeted for ArtPrize 2020 toward a new event tentatively planned for September. 

GRAND RAPIDS — The West Michigan Sports Commission took measures to create a safer work environment at its office, which was newly opened in November of last year before the springtime COVID-19 pandemic sent staff home to work remotely.