LANSING, Mich., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and the State of Michigan's official agency for the promotion of tourism, was awarded the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) Mercury Award for the Best State Television Advertising Campaign for Travel Michigan's 2005 summer promotion. The award was announced at the Travel Industry Association of America's (TIA) Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) on August 22 in Minneapolis. Participants from more than 150 state and territory tourism offices and destination marketing organizations across the nation come together at ESTO to discuss fundamental and pressing issues affecting destination marketing.

The NCSTD, a council within TIA, created a national awards program in 1985 to recognize members for excellence and creative accomplishment in state/territory tourism marketing and promotion, and to inspire the continued development of truly imaginative and exciting destination marketing and promotion programs. Travel Michigan received Mercury Awards for the Best Radio Advertising Campaign in 2003 and 2005.

"It is a very special honor to be recognized by your peers," said Travel Michigan Vice President George Zimmermann. "We continue to work to create a fresh and unique brand identity for Michigan that promotes destinations throughout the state."

Criteria for the Mercury Award included effectiveness, creativity, innovation and results. The 2005 Travel Michigan television advertising campaign, created by the Birmingham, Michigan-based Brogan & Partners, aired in Chicago, Indianapolis and Cleveland. Independent research concluded that this $3.4 million campaign motivated 890,000 incremental trips to the state, trips which resulted in an additional $165 million dollars in visitor spending at Michigan businesses and generated $11.6 million in new state taxes, resulting in a $3.43 return on investment for every advertising dollar spent.

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan's official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services. For Michigan travel news and updates, go to http://www.michigan.org/ .

CONTACT: Kirsten Borgstrom, +1-517-335-1871, or Joanna Wilbee,
+1-906-474-9755, both of Travel Michigan

Web site: http://www.michigan.org/