LANSING – Tourist spending in Michigan increased about 6 percent in 2012 and should see a similar increase of 5.5 percent in 2013, an annual report by Michigan State University released on Tuesday has found.

The report is more good news for the state’s tourism industry coming a day after a Pure Michigan campaign report found increased spending by tourists and increased state tax revenues as a result. Both studies were discussed at the state’s Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Detroit during the last two days.

Sarah Nicholls, an associate professor at MSU who facilitated the creation of the Michigan Tourism Strategic Plan for 2012-2017, said The Henry Ford in Dearborn had a record year in 2012, with visits up 25 percent to 1.9 million.

The state’s popular national parks also saw increased visits. Visits to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore were up 14 percent last year and visits to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore were up 6 percent, a statement by the university noted. Isle Royale National Park was also up 5 percent, all of which outpaced the 1 percent average increase at national parks nationwide.

“We can attribute these positive outcomes in 2012 to a combination of factors including the warm, dry summer and fall, a continued rebound in consumer confidence, relatively steady gas prices and the continuing influence of the state’s Pure Michigan advertising campaign,” Nicholls said in a statement.

Dan McCole, another assistant professor at MSU presenting the study alongside Ms. Nicholls, said that despite strong expectations, how the tourism industry will fare this year is still dependent on other “wild card” factors.

“This year we’re waiting to see how the economy will fare when the effects of the sequester budget cuts set in,” McCole said in a statement. “But barring a disruption to the economic recovery, we’re expecting another great year for Michigan tourism.”

The university also noted that travelers are increasingly interested in experiencing the culinary offerings at the places they visit, as well as doing more “touring,” or traveling from place to place instead of staying in one spot. Nostalgia and social networks are also affecting where people choose to visit, the university said.

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