Travel Michigan Welcome Center Event CriteriaBackground: Travel Michigan supervises the daily operations of the state's 13 Welcome Centers. Together, approximately 9 million travelers annually stop at Michigan's Welcome Centers. The mission of the Welcome Centers is to provide travelers with "tourism-related information…restroom facilities and …assistance to encourage safe driving." To help achieve the Welcome Centers' mission, the Welcome Center Administrator (Travel Michigan) may authorize Events to be held at a center, as long as they do not interfere with the basic operation of the center, and the Event is held during the hours of center operation when adequate staff is available on site. Event Criteria for Authorization: Only events that promote the overall mission of the Welcome Centers and Travel Michigan may be held at a Welcome Center. Our primary Event focus will be on activities that actively promote travel and tourism within the state of Michigan, which are sponsored by members of the state's tourism industry. The determination of Welcome Center event eligibility will be solely at the discretion of the Welcome Center Administrator of Travel Michigan. Any event held must be held during the hours that the center has adequate staff on site to monitor and assist the event. The event sponsor must be a Michigan-based company or organization that will take primary responsibility for the set up, running, and clean up of the event. Any Welcome Center staff assistance in the event operation will have to be agreed to in advance by the Welcome Center Manager on site. An event sponsor must submit a Welcome Center Event Request Form at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the proposed event. The event sponsor may subsequently be asked to provide additional information at the discretion of the Welcome Center Administrator. Events and event participants shall not impede the movement of Welcome Center visitors, solicit contributions or charge for admission or materials, serve or consume alcoholic beverages, nor display or distribute materials that are inconsistent with the basic mission of the Welcome Center. However, a non-profit sponsor, may request donations to cover the cost of the goods or services provided, with prior Welcome Center Administrator approval. The posting of liability insurance and a performance bond, naming the Michigan Department of Transportation and Travel Michigan as additional insured's, may be required. Upon the conclusion of the event, the sponsor shall promptly remove all items remaining from the event, so that the Welcome Center area is restored to the condition that existed before the event. The Welcome Center Administrator may require that the conduct of an event be changed or terminated if it violates or jeopardizes the fulfillment of any of these criteria. |
