Free Traverse City Gas Offer:

"It's Not Just About Us"

Tourism officials in this Michigan resort community say they're thrilled that their plan to reward summer travelers with free gasoline is attracting broad attention.

The Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau's "Pump Up Your Summer" program provides a $25 Speedway gas card to anyone who books a stay of four nights or more at any of 43 participating hotels, motels or resorts. The Bureau has installed a special toll-free reservation line (1-800-714-0051) and a web page (www.pumpupyoursummer.com) to help popularize the plan.

But while the promotion's immediate goal is to minimize any negative effect that higher gas prices might have on summer tourism, Bureau president Brad Van Dommelen is also using the publicity to focus attention on tourism issues that extend beyond the Traverse City limits.

"It's not just about us," said Van Dommelen. "If this program brings more people to our community, that's wonderful. It's what we want. But I believe promotions like this can help people put into some perspective the portion of their vacation expense that actually goes to transportation. This additional cost shouldn't keep them from enjoying the great things Michigan has to offer."

In spite of its scenic beauty and wealth of recreational amenities, Michigan's tourism industry has suffered in recent years from a lack of product awareness caused by insufficient promotion. Today the state runs a "tourism deficit" of nearly $3 billion annually, said Van Dommelen, and local communities should do more to reverse that trend.

"That's the purpose of organizations like ours," he said. "When our industry faces challenges like this, we need to be in the forefront of efforts to come up with creative solutions that accentuate the great product we have. If we can reduce that tourism deficit by encouraging more people to travel in Michigan this summer, we all benefit."

To qualify for their free gas card, visitors simply have to book a room through the Bureau's toll-free "Pump Up Your Summer" reservation line, 1-800-714-0051, for a stay of four nights or longer between now and Labor Day. The cards are redeemable for gas or other merchandise at Speedway service stations anywhere in the country. For a visitor who makes a 500-mile round trip to Traverse City in a car that averages 20 miles per gallon, the card should reduce the impact of gas costs from $3 per gallon to $2 per gallon, said Van Dommelen.

 
Artical reprinted with permission by:
 
Mike Norton
Media Relations
Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau
Traverse City, MI