Originally uploaded March 14th, reloaded April 13th.
Chris Holman welcomes back Julie Pingston, President & CEO, Choose Lansing, Lansing, MI.
Welcome back Julie, you've just wrapped up your Annual Meeting, tell us about that, and about its focus?
And in that meeting you celebrated some record-breaking numbers please share those?
One of Choose Lansing and the area's strengths are its CTAs tell us about those and some of them who were recognized yesterday?
A feature of your meetings has been to observe anniversaries of some key businesses and organizations, who was honored this year?
You alluded to the future in your January interview, tell us about "THE LIST"?
“The industry continues to gain positive momentum, ending 2024 with a record-breaking 1,112,196 rooms consumed,” said Julie Pingston, Choose Lansing® President and CEO. “The hotel occupancy rate landed at 54.2%, surpassing 2023’s occupancy rate, both of which are offset by the addition of 800 hotel rooms to the overall inventory since 2019. We’re also excited to report that the Greater Lansing hospitality and tourism industry supports 9,500 local jobs and helps welcome 6.7 million visitors each year, generating $732 million dollars in economic impact for the region.”
Jeff Magnuson To ensure those millions of visitors have a positive experience while in the region, Choose Lansing® implemented the Certified Tourism Ambassadors (CTA) Program, which marks its 15th anniversary in 2025. During the annual meeting, Choose Lansing® celebrated a record 533 CTAs and named Jeff Magnuson, CTA (left) as the CTA Star of the Year.
Choose Lansing® also acknowledged the following local business anniversaries:
St. Johns Mint Festival – 40 years
Insty Prints – 40 years
Fenner Nature Center’s Apple Butter and Maple Syrup Festivals – 50 years
Arts Council of Greater Lansing – 60 years
Lansing Art Gallery – 60 years
A. Dean Watkins – 75 years
Michigan High School Athletic Association – 100 years
“In 2024, we worked hard to support the hospitality industry, bring visitors to the region, and advocate for a more accessible community,” said Pingston. “As we look forward to 2025, our focus will be to serve as a resource to event planning clients while continuing to help our local hospitality partners thrive.”
Find full details and the 2024 Choose Lansing® annual report at lansing.org/about-us/annual-report-and-meeting/
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