Economy |
- Rising costs/lower margins.
- Insurance costs/taxes.
- Development & growth of area.
- Expendable income-guests' willingness to travel and be involved with Traverse.
- More competition, including competition from companies not located in the Grand Traverse Region.
- Over-saturated supply of hotel rooms.
- Labor shortage when economy recovers.
- TC area becoming more based upon tourist industry.
- Desire for week-to-week rentals without full B&B costs.
- Slower booking pace; last minute bookings.
- Chains vs. independent restaurants; chains dominate; how can the small business survive?
- High-level health needs & growing regional medical center.
- Loss of blue collar jobs.
- Strength of tourism & agriculture.
- Seasonal employment: Most business in hospitality must add summer employees-how do they do it? Where do they find them?
- Do employees ever work in two seasonal places-Florida in the winter, here in the summer. How would that work?
- Support of agribusiness will also help land preservation.
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Government |
- Government has greater involvement in day to day operations.
- Stronger health issues; regulations.
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Technology |
- Computerization
- Internet
- Greater use of internet for attracting business.
- Continuing growth in reservations on internet; now more than 50%.
- If people use technology to buy, how can you get "up close and personal" with your guest?
- If internet handles sales/reservations, front desk staff can spend more time on customer service.
- Appreciation for wireless access by guests.
- Increased tourism thru Internet.
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Demographics |
- Retirement community-increase in our area particularly.
- A need for quality seasonal employees.
- Increase seasonal nature of population; not just tourism.
- Increased population will increase demand for products and services.
- TC is becoming multi-cultural, multi-lingual environment.
- TC is getting bigger/tourists desire quiet surroundings; desire old fashion "comfort food."
- This region is becoming a center for retirees who are economically stable with much free time.
- Population services: active retirement, medical, cultural.
- Shift in people's tastes/menus.
- Free time and income for leisure, travel and recreation.
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General |
- Ecological/environmental center for Great Lakes.
- Trend toward "homogenization;" we must keep TC unique.
- NMC should be involved in land use planning.
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Education |
- Interlochen Center for the Arts; how is NMC connected to Interlochen?
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