CALUMET — At a press conference Tuesday, Brad Barnett, executive director of Visit Keweenaw, presented updates on the organization’s plans for handling the upcoming spike in tourism. Barnett especially focused on the economic impact tourism has on the Keweenaw in the Summer months.

“We are a four season travel destination here in the Keweenaw Peninsula,” Barnett explained. “The summer travel season, which traditionally kicks off in the beginning of July and runs through mid-September, accounts for about 40% of total visitor dollars spent in the Keweenaw Peninsula.”

According to numbers cited from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, there was a 9.6% increase in visitor spending in Houghton County in 2023. Barnett said most of this spending goes toward the local hospitality indu

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