Shifting My Tourism Mindset

Guest Opinion

'Tis the season for inconvenient traffic, irritating crowds, piles of trash, and disruptive tourists—a local’s worst nightmare. But what if the tourist season didn’t have to be so bad for northern Michiganders?

While the overwhelming number of tourists and the disruption in our community can be seen as an annoyance to many citizens, it’s important to recognize that this summer rush is what keeps us locals local.

Recently, Good Housekeeping named Traverse City a 2024 Family Travel Award winner because of the area’s outstanding beaches, flourishing downtown area, and numerous wineries—all qualities that Traverse City residents cherish. While we locals want to enjoy those features for ourselves, we must remember that Grand Traverse County’s population is under 100,000 people—many of whom are employed in tourism and agriculture—which would make it difficult to support our growing downtown area and establishments on our own. Without the income we receive from the summer months, it would be extremely hard to maintain certain areas of our region, especially the downtown area.

Not only do tourists keep business owners going, but they also are partially responsible for sustaining jobs across the region. In fact, according to a report by Traverse City Tourism, over 8,900 jobs were supported by tourism across the Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Benzie counties in 2022 alone. Thus, it’s a win-win all around; tourists get to explore, businesses can thrive, and residents can work to afford living expenses.

As a local myself, I understand the ambivalence (or anger) some people may feel when this time of year rolls around. On one hand, I’m appreciative of the business that the tourists are bringing into my work and I’m excited to meet all different kinds of people. But on the other hand, it’s easy to become frustrated when I’m not able to find a parking spot before work or I have to drive 30 minutes out of town to find a restaurant or a beach that isn’t packed with people.

During the winter, I make approximately a third of what I do during the summer working my restaurant job. Of course, I work less because of school, but since I work in the restaurant industry, the tips the staff make during this time completely change their everyday life. In hospitality, many people use the extra money they make in the summer to afford their living expenses throughout the winter.

But with almost every advantage comes a downside. While we do encounter a lot of very kind, respectable visitors, we also run into a lot of people who may not be so nice. When people are hot and hungry, they can get feisty, especially if they don’t know the area. Additionally, I tend to find a lot of people who have a shallow sense of spatial awareness and will take up sidewalks, roads, or other locations without a care in the world, which can be extremely frustrating.

There’s no doubt that I, along with many others, wish we could enjoy the beauty of our hometown without the hassle of irritating crowds, but that might be a sign it’s time to change our mindsets.

Thanks to the undebatable charm of northern Michigan, tourism in this region certainly isn’t going away, and we will likely see it grow even more. While no one can prevent the tourists from taking over during the summer, locals can control the way we react to the phenomenon.

For example, instead of sulking over the fact that hundreds of new people may take up your favorite beach, take it as an opportunity to take a long drive, disconnect from society, and explore new places. During the off-season, indulge in the areas that you couldn’t fully enjoy during the summer. Believe it or not, this can be extremely therapeutic after being stuck in crowds for months. Who knows, you may even find your new favorite secret spot!

So next time you find yourself getting irritated with the vast tourist community, consider other perspectives. Although the influx of people may cause a small inconvenience in your life, such as being late to work once or not being able to find a restaurant to eat at with your friends, think about where your hometown would be without it.

I’ve chosen to embrace tourist culture as a local rather than to resist it; it’s what supports our people, our businesses, and our city. The boost it gives our economy is what keeps us going, and the funds we gain from tourists are ultimately beneficial to our society all year round. It’s always easier to choose anger first when dealing with this time of year, yet it’s important to acknowledge how it will help our city in the long run.

Soledad is a current student at Traverse City West Senior High. She loves to write and is working on exploring her career options as she gears up for college.

View On Our Website