DETROIT, Feb. 25 Tourism activity in Michigan declined 1.8 points between the third quarter 2002 and fourth quarter 2002, according to the Michigan Tourism Index compiled by Detroit-based Comerica Bank. The fourth quarter index, at 109.39, is down 1.6 percent from 111.17 a year earlier.
"For the entire year, Michigan Tourism Activity contracted 4 percent," said David Littmann, chief economist with Comerica Bank. "After a promising beginning in the first quarter of 2002, nearly all facets of tourism in Michigan hit the skids, with reduced air and vehicular traffic especially hard hit in the first half due to heightened security concerns and hassles anticipated by travelers.
"Fourth quarter probably would have shown an increase from the prior quarter and from the prior year, if Greenfield Village, one of Michigan's two most popular attractions, had not been closed."
The Michigan Tourism Index is a quarterly summary of five seasonally- adjusted travel and lodging data series which serve as a non-inflationary proxy for statewide tourism activity. Quarterly and annual data for the Michigan Tourism Index (base year 1992 = 100) is available upon request.
1st. Quarters Compared Annual Average
2002 2001 % Change 2001
Tourism Index 109.39 111.17 (1.6) 119.54
Occupancy Index 99.75 103.25 (3.4) 109.49
Airline Traffic 151.18 123.78 22.1 144.48
Vehicular Traffic 108.37 90.65 19.5 112.25
Mackinac Crossings 138.47 136.02 1.8 131.79
Museum 49.18 102.16 (51.9) 99.68
