Travel Writers Visit Mackinac Island For Annual Conference
By Bernie Nguyen

Travel writers take afternoon tea at Grand Hotel while enjoying a stay on the Island for the annual conference of the Atlantic-Caribbean Chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers. They are (from left) Susan Ward of Evanston, Illinois, Donna Long of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kathy Usitalo of Detroit, Jane Ammeson of Stevensville, and Dixie Franklin of Marquette.

For writers whose livelihoods depend on travel, Mackinac Island serves as a perfect destination. It is an island built on an industry of tourism, known for its hospitality and atmosphere of old-fashioned enjoyment. The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) thinks so, too, and after Mackinac Island was offered as a convention location, the Atlantic-Caribbean Chapter of SATW, which covers all the states between Pennsylvania and Florida, selected it for 2006.

More than 100 writers were here from Tuesday, June 6, to Sunday, June 11, and stayed at Grand Hotel.

The national travel writers' organization is composed of two groups, active members who are freelance writers, columnists, editors, and other media journalists, and associate members who serve as representatives for travel destinations. Writer and author Dixie Franklin of Marquette hosted the group at Grand Hotel and said she feels that having travel writers on Mackinac is one of the best ways she can think of to get the word out about the Island's potential as a travel destination.

"We're here to explore the entire Island," said SATW President Ed Malone, explaining that at each convention, writers go off on their own to search out stories about shopping, accommodations, and things to see and do. While on Mackinac Island, the convention's writers explored everything from hiking trails to fudge, attended seminars, and spent a day on the mainland visiting sites such as Tahquamenon Falls and Frankenmuth. They also enjoyed a special tour and dinner at Fort Mackinac.

"It's one of the best places in the world to stay," said Sandra Malone, Mr. Malone's wife, about Grand Hotel. "Just an exquisite place."

Mr. Malone said the Island provides a change of pace and scenery for travel writers who have been all over the world.

"Travel journalists are really the modern Marco Polo," he said, emphasizing that the traveler's insatiable appetite for new sights and sounds is certainly met on the Island, especially since its attractions run the gamut from adventure travel, such as mountain biking, to luxury accommodations and upscale shopping.

The rising popularity of ecotourism, which is centered around the enjoyment of naturally preserved areas, may also be a benefit to the Island, Mr. Malone added. Since Mackinac Island provides 70 miles of trails, paved and unpaved, and Mackinac Island State Park preserves 80 percent of the Island forest, ecotourism could be a way to promote the Island in the future. Mackinac's friendly environment, however, he noted, may be its biggest advantage.

"I love the atmosphere where it's so laid back," he said. "Everybody you run into seems to be having a good time, no matter what they're doing."

Charles Ridgeway, an active member of SATWwho has been keeping track of the tourism industry for many years, feels Mackinac Island is able to achieve an impressively efficient blend of historical ambiance and modern convenience. Even on an Island with horse-drawn carriages, he said he received all the amenities he would have expected from a luxury hotel in an urban setting.

In his travels, Mr. Ridgeway looks for service and variety, and he said Mackinac has succeeded at both. He was surprised, he said, at the limited Island-to-mainland transportation, but was also impressed with the handling of the Straits crossing.

"I've found that the ferry services are very efficient," he said. "The way they handle luggage is nothing short of amazing."

Like Mr. Malone, Mr. Ridgeway agreed that the atmosphere is key to the Island's appeal as a tourist destination.

The biggest aspect, he said, is a "friendly attitude and efficient service."

With modern attractions such as theme parks and beach resorts competing in today's tourism market, the travel writers said the Island offers freshness in a market saturated with commercial draws and family packages.

"It's not a package deal place," said Susan Ward, a travel writer from Evanston, Illinois,

who felt that the Island's offerings of individually tailored, personal choice activities complemented the slower Mackinac pace perfectly. "It's not a theme park. I think it's a retreat for a lot of people in this day and age when things are so crazy."

Cindy Ross, a freelance writer from Pennsylvania, agreed.

"This is old fashioned fun," Ms. Ross said. "This is the way

families used to spend time together, to take the kids to a place where they can see how things used to be."

Ms. Ross felt that Mackinac's quaint, small-town feel, which some may perceive as a drawback, might actually be one of its greatest assets.

"You can't compare or compete with other places," she said, "because there's no other place like it."