LANSING, MI (AP)-- A new report says that Michigan's tourism industry grew in 2014 despite the cold, wet year, and the tourism outlook is sunny going forward.
The Michigan State University report says that 2014 was 6 percent cooler and 11 percent wetter than normal. Even so, it says hotel occupancy was up 2 percent and car traffic increased 1 percent.
Michigan State researchers released the report Monday at the Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism in Grand Rapids.
The researchers say 2015 should be another year of growth for tourism in the state. The number of people traveling to and around the state is expected to increase 1.5 percent this year.
They say tourism spending is expected to climb an estimated 2.5 percent from 2014.