ESCANABA — The start of a new year is an exciting time for everyone filled with hope and promise. While 2021 is a year we can all be hopeful for, there is a lot of uncertainty as well. Tourism has been a significant economic driver for our community and the Upper Peninsula as a whole for many years. We all know how glorious the U.P. is year-round and many people travel here throughout the year to get a glimpse of the beauty that surrounds us.

Tourists help support the business community that makes this area so enjoyable to live in. Many local businesses count on busy tourism months and large events that bring people to the area to sustain their establishment. In a year where travel had to be limited and events cancelled, this was a huge blow to all of them. Thankfully, many businesses were able to make it through this difficult time and are going to be here for us to enjoy in the upcoming year.

Visit Escanaba promotes the area to people across the Midwest to attract new visitors and new opportunities for the community. We highlight local attractions and businesses that visitors are interested in. One of our favorite ways to promote the community is through video productions that let people see our area from wherever they are in the world. In 2020 we posted more than 60 live action videos to digital platforms with over 2 million views. Lots of people like to see what is going on in Delta County, Michigan and you cannot blame them when you consider what this community has to offer.

We love highlighting our business community as part of our work and look forward to creating new content featuring local businesses in the coming years. Visitors love finding new things to try when they are traveling through the U.P. and we love helping you highlight what this community has to offer. The new year will bring new opportunities to work with our local partners to continue telling the world about this amazing community.

The year has started with a lot of uncertainty, especially for small businesses, but we can be certain that people love this area and that our organization will support the community as we get back on our feet. If you have some ideas for interesting stories to tell about businesses in Delta County, call the Delta County Commerce Center team at (906)786-2192.

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Robert Micheau is executive director of Visit Escanaba