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Kent County hotels bring in record revenue in 2011

The Amway Grand Plaza, JW Marriott, and the Courtyard by Marriott hotels sit along the Grand River in Grand Rapids.
Lindsey Smith
/
Michigan Radio
The Amway Grand Plaza, JW Marriott, and the Courtyard by Marriott hotels sit along the Grand River in Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids-area hotels made record income last year. Hotel revenue in Kent County grew at a faster rate than the average for hotels in Michigan and the United States. That’s according a report released by the convention and visitors bureau – Experience Grand Rapids.

Experience Grand Rapids president Doug Small says the city attracted larger conventions and more leisure travelers this year. “It’s a combination of very creative marketing, collaboration, wonderful events that continue to dot our landscape,” Small said, noting ArtPrizeand Laughfestas examples. “It’s all good; it’s the perfect storm.”

Small says the ‘Pure Michigan’ marketing campaign deserves some credit too. “We’re a big partner with them – we’ve always been since day one. They’ve helped drive a lot of our summer business,” Small said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RptTZjUS14

Kent County’s 70 hotels made a combined $114 million dollars last year, a 10-percent increase from the year before. In 2009 it was just $93 million. The hospitality industry employs 24,000 people in Kent County.

Lindsey Smith helps lead the station'sAmplify Team. She previously served as Michigan Public's Morning News Editor, Investigative Reporter and West Michigan Reporter.
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