General Economic Condition of the United States

Considering the general economic condition of the United States, GDP experienced an increase in the final quarter of 2012, while personal income suffered a great decrease from December to January. According to the United States Department of Commerce, for the fourth quarter of 2012, the real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.1% from the third quarter, this being a positive measure of the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States. Unfortunately, real disposable personal income decreased by 4.0% from December to January. This was a great decrease compared to the figures in previous months which featured increases in personal income from November to December.

The Great Lakes region of the United States, (Which includes Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio), experienced a 1.4% increase in GDP from 2011. This increase falls in the middle of the eight U.S. regions compared to the highest increase of 2.7% in the Southwest and the lowest of 0.9% in the Southeast and Mideast. Michigan led the Great Lakes region with a 2.3% increase and was in the highest quintile for the entire nation. Wisconsin was in the third quintile with 1.1% increase. Michigan and Wisconsin were both in the middle of the pack in the third quartile when it came to personal income.

Delta County itself had the lowest average length of room stay of any county in the entire state. That’s out of 83 counties, 15 in the Upper Peninsula. Assessments for the Upper Peninsula are highest in Delta and Marquette counties at 5%. Delta counties assessment increased from 2% to 5% in January 2013 and Marquette counties assessment increased from 2% to 5% in May of 2011. Alger County has the third highest assessment at 4%. Iron County has an assessment of 2%, along with Schoolcraft County at 2% which went into effect in 2010.

Considering these assessments, In 2009 the average leisure traveler in Michigan spent $364 a trip while the average spent in...