NOT SO DIFFERENT AFTER ALL: TOURISM INDUSTRY MEMBERS' OPINIONS REGARDING RECENT AND FUTURE TOURISM ISSUES

The tourism industry is fragmented in nature and this is sometimes manifested in perceived or actual differences in viewpoint between various subsets of the sector. In Michigan, for example, anecdotal evidence suggests such differences based on geographic location (in the Upper or the Lower Peninsula) and on setting (rural or urban). The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in opinion between members of various tourism industry segments regarding their perceptions of recent and future changes in their state's tourism sector. Based on 132 responses to an online survey, the study found that there was, in fact, virtually no difference in opinion between industry members regarding recent and future changes in the Michigan tourism industry based on their geographic location, geographic setting, or number of years in the industry. The high level of consensus that became apparent as a result of these analyses bodes well for continued unification of the industry, in particular its efforts to raise awareness among elected officials of the importance of tourism to the economic well-being of the state and to garner support for increased Pure Michigan funding.