Four days on Mackinac Island. One grand porch. And hundreds of passionate leaders from across Michigan. Each morning, we rode Shepler’s Ferry across sparkling waters, joining a wonderfully mixed crowd of elected officials, state leaders, lobbyists, business execs and nonprofit changemakers. From sunrise coffee chats to late-night bar conversations, we networked, we brainstormed, walked the island, rode in horse-drawn carriages, and soaked up every ounce of this uniquely Michigan experience. And through it all, one thing was clear, we were all there because we care deeply about the future of our state.

As the travel and tourism sector continues to rebound and evolve, place marketers are stepping up in bold new ways. At Hart, we’re rethinking what destination storytelling looks like – especially after recently joining leaders at City Nation Place Americas in beautiful Ottawa, Ontario, where global place branding professionals explored how destinations can remain relevant, competitive and community-first.

The Hart team recently attended the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism, where big challenges – and even bigger opportunities – were front and center.