MSU Extension launches second partnership with Lapeer to continue capturing visitor impressions in their historic community
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EmailThis one-year pilot program seeks to understand strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities via QR codes around the historic community of Lapeer.
A new chapter in the partnership between Michigan State University Extension and the City of Lapeer is helping the community gain a deeper understanding of visitor experiences and strengthen its visitor economy.
The collaboration, established in early 2026, grew out of a 2023 tourism assessment conducted through MSU Extension's award-winning First Impressions Tourism (FIT) program. During that assessment, a team of five first-time visitors evaluated Lapeer and provided valuable feedback on the community's tourism assets, visitor experience, and overall appeal. Their findings highlighted numerous strengths, identified areas for improvement, and sparked ongoing conversations about placemaking, tourism development, and the visitor economy in this historic downtown community.
Nearly three years later, Lapeer's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) recognized an opportunity presented to them by MSU Extension to build on those insights. Rather than relying solely on the one-time FIT assessment, the DDA agreed a continuous stream of visitor feedback would be beneficial. The result is an adapted version of the original FIT program — FIT 2.0 — a year-long initiative designed to capture real-time first impressions from visitors throughout the year.
Tailored specifically to Lapeer's unique tourism assets and local economy, the survey explores visitor motivations, measures first impressions and evaluates a variety of community attributes, including cleanliness, customer service, wayfinding signage, accommodations, restaurants and perceptions of safety. Visitors can access the survey through QR codes displayed on signs throughout downtown and in participating local businesses.
Beyond rating their experiences, respondents are encouraged to identify favorite attractions, share memorable moments, and highlight the features that would inspire them to return. By collecting feedback from a broader audience over an extended period, FIT 2.0 provides a more comprehensive picture of visitor sentiment than a traditional FIT assessment alone.
MSU Extension will lead the initiative and work closely with Lapeer’s DDA to review survey results on a quarterly basis. These discussions will help guide future planning efforts, identify emerging opportunities, and support data-driven decisions that enhance both the visitor experience and DDA goals. 
Many communities have asked our MSU Extension team to return and conduct another FIT assessment three-to-five years after completing their original assessment, which is why FIT 2.0 is designed for communities that have already gone through the FIT process and have had time to reflect on and act upon their results.
The pilot program was first launched with Marine City in St. Clair County from July 2025 through August 2026. Following its success, Lapeer's DDA became the next community to adopt the innovative approach beginning in August 2026. Like Marine City before them, Lapeer is now able to collect visitor impression data independently using an abridged version of our original FIT survey.
This approach encourages communities to take action themselves while allowing MSU Extension to provide ongoing data insights and focus our resources on helping additional communities begin their own initial FIT journey.
Through this innovative partnership, Lapeer is not only measuring visitor perceptions but also creating asustainable framework for continuous improvement, ensuring that tourism remains a catalyst for community vitality and economic growth well into the future.
If you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact the City of Lapeer Downtown Development Authority. You can learn more about the MSU Extension’s First Impressions Tourism assessment program by visiting our website.
