Leelanau's tourist-oriented business, especially the smaller ones that make up an important part of the local economy, are not effectively represented by existing Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs), says says this article in the TC Business News.

Rick Coates has been working for the past several years to organize an alternative the CVBs that are dominated by large players like the Homestead (and which actually exclude smaller players from participating). The Leelanau Tourism Initiative is attempting to bring together the smaller inns, restaurants, galleries, and wineries that should make the County even more of a draw than it is today. By working together to publicize Leelanau County as a destination, they hope to infuse tourist dollars into the pockets of local business owners and citizens. A worthy goal, and deserving of public support, in our opinion.