HOUGHTON, Mich. (WZMQ) – Visit Keweenaw regional partners are in the Houghton area this weekend to discuss the enhancement of destination stewardship around the state.
The inaugural Michigan Sustainable Tourism Summit welcomed around 20 state and nationwide organizations to Michigan Tech’s campus, focusing on how they manage under tight resources and high foot traffic, all while protecting their natural environments.
Matt Schneider is a senior manager of partnerships with the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics program, who came up from North Carolina this weekend. He says while each region involved is unique, similar struggles pop up all across both the sustainability and tourism industries, creating a solid base to hold the particular event.
“This gives people an opportunity to come together, hear what has worked, share common struggles, and to align around a consistent message where everyone plays their own part,” he said.
The summit has also brought an agency from New Mexico to the UP. Visit Keweenaw Executive Director, Brad Barnett says this opportunity makes for a special way share the Keweenaw, on top of providing a learning experience from an outside perspective.
“They’re from a very similar community, far away but doing the same things we’re doing up here, so we get to learn from each other and talk about those best practices,” he said.
On Friday afternoon, the summit will break out into a few mining and biking tours to show off more of the area. Barnett says so far, the received feedback has a promising look for the future of the event.
