On the final day of the 2022 Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Governor Gretchen Whitmer spoke on the state’s investments into the travel and leisure industry – one of the largest industries in the state.

Governor Whitmer says during the pandemic, nearly 25,000 small businesses received a form of state aid or financial help. Small businesses making up a large part of the tourism industry. She says it helped retain roughly 200,000 jobs.

Entrepreneurship also plays a crucial role. In the last month 11,000 new businesses were created. 33,000 were created already this year.

“After 2018, less than 7,900 businesses on average performed every month in 2021 that shot up to over 12,500 businesses a month,” says Whitmer. “it’s a 59 percent increase. In the midst of all the global challenges, entrepreneurs were making investments.” 

Whitmer has already suggested more job skill programs to help the state’s dwindling workforce. In addition, she’s also said she’ll invest in affordable housing. 

“We’ve invested $150 million in affordable housing something that we know is critical in  communities all across the state,” says Whitmer.

Governor Whitmer ended her speech by adding that travel has a “magical power” to change perceptions of people and better understand each person’s  culture and community.

“It builds empathy by bridging divides and literally allows you to walk in someone else’s shoes, helping us make music together,” she says. “The importance of travel and the power of perspective cannot be overstated especially in 2022.”

The 2022 Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism ended Thursday.