GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Days where the sun shines and temperatures soar might make you want to travel. It’s the perfect time to kick off National Travel & Tourism Week.

It’s all designed to highlight the importance of tourism in stimulating economic growth, and compelling reasons why travelers should make their summer vacation plans now.

Dave Lorenz from Pure Michigan talked about exciting destinations in the Mitten State and why it’s critical to business development to spend your travel dollars here.

“Of course, everybody is concerned about all the challenges we’re having in so many ways — politically, socially, and with the economy, inflation is just really eating up everybody’s discretionary dollars,” Lorenz said. “The travel industry is here to try to bring people together so we can kind of get away from those challenges and those things that are stressing us, kind of come back to the middle and come back to a position where we can truly appreciate where we live.”

People from all over the world come to spend some time in Michigan over the summer. Lorenz hopes people take the time to experience new things.

“As we travel around the state this summer, I’m hoping that people will take in places that, perhaps they’ve never been to before, meet people that they never thought they’d ever meet, come to know each other as friends and neighbors, and come together. That’s what travel and tourism does best, it brings us together at a time when it feels like so many other people are pulling us apart,” he said.

While everybody loves the well-known beautiful lakeshore places like Holland, New Buffalo, Traverse City and Mackinac Island, Lorenz said he hopes people try to go to lesser-known places.

“You will find lesser crowds, you’ll find better deals and you’ll find people who are going to really be welcoming you because they’re going to love to see you,” he said.

Michigan.org has tips that can help you choose a destination by your interest.

“If you’re a trails person, this is the state … if you’re into craft beer, yes, there’s Beer City U.S.A., but we have great craft beer all around the state.”

You can find information about traveling Michigan at Michigan.org.