Experience GR is the official destination marketing organization for Grand Rapids.
Senior Vice President Janet Korn says its tasked with raising awareness of the region’s appeal as a tourism and convention location.
“We wanted to be able to quantify whether the work that we're doing and the effort that we're putting forth to send out these messages about things to do and reasons to come here whether those actually transcend into where I want to go to college, where I might want to move, where I want to raise a family.”
Findings from its 2024 study by Longwoods International found when travelers are exposed to marketing, then visit the region, the combination creates what researchers call a "Halo Effect"—dramatically improving how people view the area as a place of opportunity by 32%.
“This was a way for us to be able to measure that and then realize that maybe that's helping our colleges and universities attract students and it's helping our friends in economic development who are trying to attract companies to the area, and all of our employers who are looking to attract talent. It all kind of works together.”
Experience GR also shared that in 2023, Grand Rapids and Kent County welcomed 21.4 million visitors who infused $1.9 billion into the local economy—a 5.4% increase in spending over 2022.
