With the help from first-time visitors, five Michigan communities engaged to better understand their assets and opportunities in 2025
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EmailDemand for MSU Extension’s First Impressions Tourism assessment program demonstrates a growing desire and need for Michigan communities to better themselves by capturing first-time visitor perspectives.
2025 was another highly active year for Michigan State University Extension’s tourism team. Comprised of experts in the fields of community, economic and tourism development, the team aims to synergize a community’s internal and external stakeholders to help them drive sustainable and desirable tourism development. One signature offering available to communities is the award-winning First Impressions Tourism (FIT) assessment program. In short, FIT is a comprehensive community assessment conducted by an unannounced (but invited) team of first-time visitors to the area.
In 2025, five Michigan communities participated in the FIT assessment program thanks to strong partnerships with state agencies like the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), along with local communities and organizations. MSU Extension and MEDC have continued their partnership into its sixth year, allowing for FIT assessments to be offered to certified Redevelopment Ready (RRC) communities and/or Main Street communities as the Master Level. Through this opportunity, the Village of Millington (RRC, Tuscola County) and the City of West Branch (RRC, Ogemaw County) were selected for participation in 2025.
In addition to FIT assessments conducted via the partnership with MEDC, the City of White Cloud, which technically began their FIT journey in 2024, completed the FIT program in spring 2025. White Cloud’s community forum in March 2025 welcomed more than 30 stakeholders in the Newaygo County community to discuss the results of their FIT assessment.
FIT in the Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula communities have also seen the benefits of participation in the FIT progam, with two held in Curtis and Calumet in 2024. The Calumet FIT was in partnership with Visit Keweenaw, the destination marketing organization for Houghton and Keweenaw Counties, while Curtis was a direct partnership with the Village itself. While Curtis completed the FIT program in fall 2025, Calumet elected to hold their community forum in March 2026 to kick off the 2026 tourism season. Key findings were delivered to the leadership team for winter work.
Program structure
As part of the FIT program, each community participating is responsible for hosting a community report forum (CRF) where the results are shared. The CRFs are approximately three-hour events open to anyone interested in learning what first-time visitors experienced in the host community.
CRFs are organized and hosted by their FIT Community Leadership Teams (CLT) that include of self-identified community leaders. FIT communities host CRFs approximately four-to-six months after receiving the team of first-time visitors.
Community results from 2025
The four CRFs held in 2025 hosted more than 200 people in total. Of those, 59 voluntarily took MSU Extension’s short-term survey designed to evaluate learning and awareness as well as gauge potential foreseeable actions and limitations to acting on their FIT results.
Survey questions posed to participants included:
- My awareness of community assets increased because of participating in this program: 89% Strongly Agreed/Agreed
- My knowledge of how to maximize assets increased because of participating in this program: 86% Strong Agreed/Agreed
- The program information shared will help strengthen collaboration within the community: 95% Strongly Agreed/Agreed
- I envision myself or community using the information shared to advance tourism in my community: 95% Strongly Agreed/Agreed
Overall, 98% of survey respondents stated “yes” when asked if FIT can help Michigan communities interested in developing tourism.
Participants were also asked a series of qualitative questions after participating in their community forum. Qualitative responses garnered from all three forums demonstrate the value of first-time visitor perspectives captured through FIT assessments.
Participants were asked: “How FIT helped increase your awareness of assets in your community.” Responses below are direct quotes from participants.
- Many times, we only look at community assets that are of interest to ourselves, that may be because of age, where you are in regard to your family, financially, etc. This program helps you look at ALL the resources in the community, not just the ones you personally use. Helps you look at the big picture of what there is to offer.
- While I represent this county, I do not live here. It was tremendously helpful to learn about some of the hidden treasures.
- I think some take the lake for granted, and this was one of our highest assets.
- It really helped open my own eyes to my community.
- I do feel it was good insight. I would have liked to hear more of what type of businesses would be recommended and more guidance on next steps (even though, I know this is the community's work and decision).
- It showed me a different emphasis that is more forward looking. We sometimes think things are fine, so we stay where we are.
- Didn't realize all of what we had.
- This information coming from outside mouths helps us clarify our thinking.
- It’s all I’ve been talking about in our community for years. Now maybe something will be done to improve it
- It gave great information on our strengths and weaknesses.
- I didn’t know a lot of these things existed and I’ve lived here my entire life.
Participants were then asked to specify any short-term (1-6 months) actions they intend to take because of participating in the FIT program. Responses below are direct quotes from participants.
- We will be having a joint meeting in January (all the boards will review prior and come up with plans, what they can do) and we will review and discuss at the joint meeting. Joint meeting includes Council, Planning Commission, DDA, Chamber & School.
- Encourage better signage to promote business
- I am chairman of the Historical Society, and I want to look at commissioning an artist and getting funding for a mural on one or more buildings and I also want to look at getting some Historical Markers for some of the historic buildings in the village.
- Communicate with township to work on replacing signs into town, to work on getting fences for pickleball courts and replace or tear down playground equipment at Rec Park.
- I shared the results with our township board and encouraged them to be active members in some of the suggested changes. Encourage a better partnership.
- Want to see these implemented soon or by next summer
- Meeting with other community members and organizations to discuss and make future for the betterment of our town.
- Partner with local businesses and local artists to reflect more murals in our community.
- Communication of our events
- Buying books from historical society and emailing the leadership team to get more involved.
The final survey question prompted participants to list any barriers that may prevent them from taking actions in their respective community after receiving their FIT results. Themes developed from specific responses include:
- Time
- Fiscal/budget constraints
- Capacity
- Acquiring funding and volunteers to help with these projects
- Some community members don’t like change
- Getting everyone on board
- Prudent use of resources
The future of FIT
As 2026 is underway, MSU Extension and MEDC continue their partnership for another two years to make FIT available to select RRC and/or Master Level Main Street communities; read more about this partnership here. Additionally, FIT is also available to Michigan communities outside of the partnership. Communities interested in participating in the program are encouraged to contact us or visit our website.
