For the past several years, the state of Michigan has steadily been increasing the promotion of its lighthouses to attract more tourists. Now they are going all out.

"The lighthouse is the travel icon we're projecting for the state, the image we're going to drill into people's minds." said Richard Czuba, director of Travel Michigan. He went on to say, "There is no better symbol or brand identity than our lighthouses."

As part of the state's emphasizes on lighthouses all Michigan Welcome Centers will be changed to support a lighthouse motif and every welcome center will have a 52 foot tall metal lighthouses built at its location. The first remodeled Welcome Center was dedicated June 19 in Clare, the mid Michigan town that bills itself as the "Gateway to the North." Six blue banners with the state's new lighthouse logo will welcome visitors to the Clare Welcome Center in six languages, English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese and Arabic.

Employees at the state's 13 welcome centers will dress in uniforms that include a navy blue shirt emblazoned with the state's new lighthouse logo.

"Our focus groups have shown us that lighthouses bring a smile to everyone's face. They're a good symbol for us, they're rugged, independent and dependable."

The states recent TV promotional ads end with the line: "Michigan will leave a lighthouse on for you."

Editor's comments: We congratulate the state of Michigan. Now, if we can only get public officials in other lighthouse states to see the light. Michigan officials have realized what we have been saying all along - lighthouses are good for every states economy. People love them! Contact your state tourism officials and tell them it's time to start promoting your lighthouses!

This story appeared in the July 1998 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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