“I hope we as a community can attract people that are coming here for our community, that they see what we’re doing, see what we are and want to make that a part of them.” – Aaron Peterson

In an age of shifting traveller values and climate uncertainty, the stories we tell, and how we tell them, matter more than ever.

In this episode of Travel Beyond, filmmaker Aaron Peterson reflects on two decades of telling stories from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and offers a key takeaway for destination leaders: if you want to inspire behaviour change, build trust, and educate visitors meaningfully, you need to work with people who know how to tell a story well.

Peterson isn’t just capturing pretty places, he’s helping audiences feel something real. Through his work with Travel Marquette, the Respect Marquette campaign, and the Fresh Coast Film Festival, he’s shown how deeply authentic storytelling can connect travellers to the values, challenges, and identity of a destination.

For tourism professionals, this is a reminder that good storytelling isn’t just a marketing tactic, it’s a form of public engagement. Experienced storytellers know how to translate complex topics like sustainability, climate change, and cultural identity into narratives that resonate emotionally and stick with people long after they’ve returned home.

This episode, you’ll learn:

• Why elevating unpolished, personal stories can drive an emotional connection to place.
• How community-led storytelling shifts tourism from promotion to stewardship.
• What tourism marketers can learn from filmmakers about identity and legacy.
• How destination events like film festivals can become catalysts for cultural connection and reflection.

Subscribe to Travel Beyond through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast player.

Show notes

Fresh Coast Film Festival:  A documentary film festival celebrating the outdoor lifestyle, water-rich environment and resilient spirit of the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest.

Made in Marquette: Watch an example of Aaron’s storytelling work created on behalf of Travel Marquette.

Episode transcript

This transcript was generated using AI and has been lightly reviewed for accuracy.

Aaron Peterson: Some examples of the sustainability from, you know, my viewpoint from what we’re doing in partnership with Travel Marquette. Um, you know, the storytelling we’re doing is deep, authentic storytelling with community voices. We’re choosing voices that represent conservation organizations, progressive thinkers in the community that realize the economic benefit of tourism, but also see the potential for harm.

And, um, in a way it’s almost educational.

Sara Raymond de Booy: Welcome to Travel Beyond. I’m Sara Raymond de Booy from Destination Think. I’m recording from Seattle, Washington from the homeland of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, and Muckleshoot people. On this show, we look at travel’s role in making a better world, and we highlight leading destinations and change makers.

Our guests are taking local action that the world can learn from. They’re helping to regenerate ecosystems, communities, and economies, and they’re often making positive change happen from the bottom up. Many of the voices we’ve highlighted are part of the Destination Think collective. A peer group of more than 20 ambitious forward-thinking destinations, working toward a better future for travel and the planet.

For the last few episodes we’ve been exploring Marquette, a destination in Michigan’s upper Peninsula with an evolving tourism scene and a community passionate about protecting the local landscape through collaboration. While I was in Marquette in June, I had the chance to sit down with Aaron Peterson, a filmmaker who has not only been instrumental in shaping how Travel Marquette presents itself to the world, but also works with many other communities in the area and knows firsthand the positive impact tourism can bring to rural areas when managed well, of course.

He’s also a co-founder of the Fresh Coast Film Festival, which helps tackle seasonality issues by bringing people to the city during a shoulder season. The festival also lifts up local filmmakers and is a platform for educating about climate change and the environment, and even works alongside conservation groups.

Aaron has some great advice on how DMO can make sure their storytelling not only speaks to the right kind of traveller, but can also play a huge role in educating visitors about respecting the values of the community. His advice and perspective is very helpful to anyone looking for ways to shift visitor behavior, attract new values, aligned audiences, but are really stuck with where to start.

A few notes before we hit play. If you haven’t come across it yet. The term, er, you might have heard it in a few other episodes, is what people refer to themselves as in the Upper Peninsula or the UP of Michigan. And also, apologies for crackly voice during this interview. I had a, a little bit of a cold while we were up there.

Well, thanks for joining us here today at the Landmark Inn. Uh, I just wanna see if we could start with the basics. Could you introduce yourself and let us know what you should do? 

Aaron Peterson: Ooh, I can try. I I wear a lot of hats. Um, my name’s Aaron Peterson. I started and run Aaron Peterson Studios, uh, in Marquette, Michigan.

We are a, um, commercial photo and video studio and, uh, documentary storytellers. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Gotcha. And you’ve been capturing the spirit of the Upper Peninsula for quite a while, right? 

Aaron Peterson: Right. Um, I came to the Upper Peninsula or the UP in 2001 and, um. You know, I worked at the newspaper, our local newspaper at that time, and, um, you know, really got into community storytelling.

And over the years that’s transferred into commercial work, uh, in the tourism in industry. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And what originally drew you to this area? 

Aaron Peterson: That’s an easy one. Uh, this area drew me in with, its, its physical geography. I mean, lake Superior has always been a love of mine. And the, all the Great Lakes, but especially Lake Superior.

And, you know, early two thousands, um, I was living on the Prairie, and while the Prairie is amazing, I needed to be further north. And I took one look at Marquette’s coastline and was just drawn in, you know, the, just the, that physical geography, these crescent beaches, Rocky Headlands Islands. Um, as an outdoor enthusiast, I just knew it was, it was gonna be the spot.

Yeah. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And when you’re not working, where do you go to recharge outside? 

Aaron Peterson: What is this not working? I don’t know. I’ve never heard what, there’s people who don’t work all the time. No. Um, I am still, I, I’m definitely drawn to mountain landscapes. Um, I spend quite a bit of time out west skiing, backpacking. Um, but honestly, I, I.

It’s unwind here. I’ve been lucky enough to have some property where my home and office is located, but then also some recreational property, um, nearby with some water. And, um, we’re pretty spoiled up up here. That way you don’t have to go too far to, uh, take a vacation in the place where you live. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And is there a specific spot around Marquette or in Marquette that has shaped your creativity?

Aaron Peterson: Yeah, but we don’t talk about those, right? Those are secret. No. Um, you know, Marquette, Marquette is blessed with both these sort of grand landscapes, but at the same time, like intimate landscapes. And I think one of the best places to see that is, um, like the Harlow Lake area, um, north of Marquette. Um, it’s state forest land open to everyone.

You can have the wide sweep of Lake Superior big scenic views, but you could also. Get into the woods, climb up some rocks. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And how would you describe the outdoor personality of Marquette to someone who’s never been? 

Aaron Peterson: The defining feature here is Lake Superior. It’s, you know, it shapes our culture, it shapes our weather.

It over eons has shaped the actual landscape. Um, I would say that is reflected in, in the people and the outdoor scene here as well. Generally, I think it’s a tough, gritty population, um, that. Is used to rolling up its sleeves and doing the work, whether that means building mountain bike trail or making sure their community stays the way they, they want it to be.

Yeah. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And what makes this region so compelling from a storytelling perspective? 

Aaron Peterson: It’s really has historically been an overlooked locations, so a lot of these stories haven’t been told, or if they’ve been told. Maybe they haven’t been told in the most flattering light, um, you know, ERs originally, I, I feel like when I first came here, were sort of the butt of jokes and our uper accent and our food and just, you know, sort of isolated, uh, physically isolated, um, location that led to a unique culture.

And I feel like now it’s, it’s come full circle and. Having a unique culture in the face of the rest of the world. It’s, it’s definitely a, um, having a unique culture is one of our defining features, and I think it’s something ev everyone’s proud of, and I think the greater world has recognized as important 

Sara Raymond de Booy: and that, uh, distinct personality.

How do you think visitors are surprised by that when they get here or not surprised? 

Aaron Peterson: The distinct personality of the up is, you know, I being sort of a humorist and having a weird personality. Um, I feel right at home here. I, I love the, uh, individualism and the weirdness of the area and the people. Um, I think the weather has something to do with that and the isolation, but that I’ve always felt like it’s a culture of acceptance.

Even though, you know, we’re, we’re super remote and maybe not the most diverse population, everyone’s welcome, I feel like, and you know, whether that’s, you know, if you don’t quite fit in, odds are good. You’re gonna feel at at home in the Marquette area in the Upper Peninsula. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And as someone who’s worked closely with Travel Marquette for a while, how do you approach telling the story of this place in a way that’s authentic?

Aaron Peterson: Um, I think, you know, authenticity is best found in the people. The people that live here and, um, have shaped these stories, and I feel like those voices best represent. The community, whether we’re telling internal stories or external stories, um, having an authentic voice is, is crucial, and our citizenry has risen to that.

You know, we’ve, I’ve never had anyone tell me no when, when asked to sort of contribute their voice to, um, a story, whether it’s travel or, uh, other otherwise. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And do you think your stories have evolved over time? 

Aaron Peterson: Absolutely. I mean, I, I came to filmmaking from still photography and, um. You know, and that was sort of in the mid two thousands, 2010 ish.

Mm-hmm. When, you know, it was sort of the height of branded content and, um, everyone was diving in and making stuff for the first time. A lot of us were making stuff for the first time, and I. And when I look back now, things were a little raw and maybe relied too much on, uh, the technology at the time, like ultra slow motion and just, just kind of kitschy things that now, um, I feel like it’s more focused on the story, less on the technology that we used to tell the story.

And um, I feel like the stories have gotten deeper. Clients have opened up to using authentic storytelling, um, and using local voices and really. Embracing that form of, of, of storytelling 

Sara Raymond de Booy: and along the lines of change, how do you think travel market’s priorities have changed? 

Aaron Peterson: Travel market’s priorities have absolutely shifted towards sustainability and having travel to the region be a more well-rounded part of the economy.

I, I feel like, um, you know, it was 10, 15 years ago, it was, it, you know, it was heads and beds that, that, that was the focus was. Filling the rooms, um, you know, large events, things, you know, whatever it took really. And, um, we, you know, we weren’t talking about sustainability, we were talking about potential and, you know, there were new hotels going up every year it felt like.

And we needed to fill those rooms. And so the pressure was on to market and we did a good job, maybe, maybe too good of a job. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And could you go into more, um, with the. The priorities being sustainable, more sustainability-focused. Could you go on to some of the examples of what that means? 

Aaron Peterson: Um, some examples of the sustainability from, from, you know, my viewpoint from what we’re doing in, in partnership with Travel Marquette, um, you know, the storytelling we’re doing is deep, authentic storytelling, uh, with community voices.

We’re choosing voices that represent conservation organizations. Um, progressive thinkers in the community that, um, you know, realize the economic benefit of tourism, but also see the, the, the potential for harm. And, um, in a way it’s almost educational. Um, what we’re, we’re talking about leave no trace ethics, um, which, you know, coming from.

The outdoors world, the backpacking world was, you know, kind of drilled into us, uh, in our teens when we started, when, when I started doing this stuff. And, um, it’s nice to see that upfront, to be upfront and, uh, presented, you know, in a marketing sense, which I, I think is, is pretty radical. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And do you see this, the, do you see tourism and the city as symbiotic?

Aaron Peterson: I do, I do. I, I, I do feel that, um, tourism and. The city are symbiotic. Um, I mean, there’s, there’s always pinch points, there’s always, you know, growing pains, but I feel like the community is thinking about it correctly. Um, and we’re shaping the way the message goes out. And I think attracting, for the most part, attracting travelers.

And I, I like to use the word traveller as opposed to tourism or tourist. I feel like we are attracting the a, a traveller that truly appreciates what’s here and wants to contribute to it, add to it, not just sort of, you know, show up, buy a t-shirt and be entertained. I, I feel like we have a thoughtful, curious travel community that visits Marquette for what we actually have.

And, uh, you know, they go away happy because of that. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And do you have any tips on balancing how you, how anyone can inspire people to visit? While encouraging them to care about the place they’re visiting, 

Aaron Peterson: I feel like honesty and authenticity is sort of the key ingredient to this type of marketing. You know, Marquette has a large sort of untrammelled beautiful landscape.

Not every community has that, but they have something and if they present what they have, not what they think people want. I think that’s how you attract the traveller that fits your community. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And I know when, uh, I was reading bios and looking you up a bit, you mentioned that you’re proudest of the work that you’ve done that’s supported small towns and rural economies.

Uh, why is that mission so important to you? 

Aaron Peterson: I, I grew up in a rural area. In a small town, and so, you know. I feel like the way, uh, America has shifted, um, where, you know, rural communities have, have gotten left behind and on, on one hand, uh, or one thing that a rural, rural community, um, still has going for it, I feel like is the room, um, to welcome travelers, to welcome visitors, and to have that be at, at the center of, of their economy.

You know, our region, Marquette is the largest city in the region. It’s only about 20,000 people. Um, 60,000 people in the com, in the county as a whole. Um, so even our biggest city is still a small town, and you don’t have to go very far outside the city limits to find tiny little communities that, that need help.

And they, they need their stories told, just, just like everyone does. Maybe part of the reason I’m attracted to it is you see the instant benefit, um, you see, you know, within a year of how a, a campaign that highlights mountain biking in a, you know, a, a tiny, uh, mining community, um, that, you know, maybe is fallen on hard times and is trying to rebuild and they have mountain bikes where the mines used to be or something like that.

Within a year, you, you see people arriving looking for that experience and they’re looking for that experience. They’re not looking for. Uh, something that isn’t there and, you know, going away, frustrated and not coming back. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And how do you feel about the responsibility that comes with being someone who helps define, I guess, how a, how a region’s perceived by the outside world?

Aaron Peterson: You know, there, there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with, you know, being blessed with this career, being able to help a community share its story. Um, you know, whether that’s just visually through like. Commercial marketing or, you know, commercial photo and video, or if it’s doing like doc doc storytelling.

Um, so there’s a, a lot of responsibility there. And on one hand it, you know, it feels, it feels great. It feels great to have that impact. And that’s part of what drew me to Marquette, you know, 24 years ago, is I looked at it and I saw the, the bones were there and it was a place I, I could have impact. I didn’t really know what that meant, but I, you, you could feel that that potential.

And then it’s also scary. I mean, it’s, it’s nerve wracking to think, okay, this, um, short dock that we’re doing about trails, which we’re, we’re actually doing right now, we’re doing a short documentary about trails and what it takes to create and sustain trails in a community. You know, I don’t wanna get that wrong.

Sara Raymond de Booy: And do you have a favorite kind of story that you like to tell about Marquette? 

Aaron Peterson: I love telling the strange stories from Marquette, the weird stories and where things intersect, right? Like, um, art. And the outdoors. Um, you know, we started a series in the, in the early days with Travel Marquette. We started a series called Made in Marquette, where we, you know, highlighted individuals.

Um, you know, the one I’m thinking of is the first surfer in our, in our region to surf Lake Superior. Um, you know, he moved here for college, started, saw waves, and started surfing even though I think only one other person was at the time, and. He has an art studio and just showing that direct correlation between the landscape and creativity, those intersections always, um, provide good story opportunities.

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And how does your work maybe make you understand Marquette’s tourism and business dynamic a little differently than a, a regular resident might be able to. 

Aaron Peterson: One of the mantras we have at the studio is it still beats a real job, right? Like even on the worst day you’re out in the rain, you’re trying to protect, you know, tens of thousands of dollars in gear.

Maybe you’re cold, you look around and we just kind of laugh and, you know, it still beats a real job. And that, um, you know, having this job, having this flexibility. It’s amazing how we’re able to, um, sort of enjoy the off times. Like we, we work a lot, we work all the time, but is it really work? Because, you know, we’re still using cameras, we’re using bikes, um, we’re out in the woods.

Um, and it’s, it’s a lot of fun even on the, even on the hardest, worst day. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And so, switching gears a little bit, could you tell me about the film festival, fresh Film Festival? 

Aaron Peterson: Fresh Coast Film Festival started in 2016. Uh, myself and two others from the community were the co-founders. Uh, so there were three of us, and we had no idea what we were doing.

Um, luckily some people who actually know how to run events saw the potential, saw what what we were doing, and then, you know, about a hundred, 150 volunteers also saw and came to the. It brought that energy to the festival and it’s grown. You know, we’re in our ninth, uh, this October will be our ninth festival, 10th year.

Um, but COVID took out one year, so we’re, you know, coming up on our 10th anniversary. And, uh, I think all of us are a little surprised by that, um, that we’re, that it’s still going and we’re still here, and, um. It really sparked something, um, both in our community and then I think in the Great Lakes region as well.

Um, and a lot of energy has flowed to it and, uh, kept it going all these years, even though, you know, our energy has been drained a little bit because it’s a lot of work. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And what inspired you to create it? 

Aaron Peterson: I was inspired to help create Fresh Coast by my experience in film festivals, uh, in the mountain West.

Some of the early work I did for travel Marquette. Um. Took me to film festivals, um, es especially Mountain Film in, in Tell Rod, um, which, you know, is I think the oldest festival of its, of its type. It’s in, its, its 40 something year. I, I went to Telluride and just had, had my mind blown by the community, the, the landscape, um, and just everything about that festival.

And then I kind of looked around and said, wait a minute, where are, you know, where are the rest of the, the Midwesterners? And, you know, knowing how many stories there were in the Great Lakes region, and I knew there must be others doing similar work and there wasn’t anything like this to bring everyone together.

Um, and I looked at Telluride. I looked at Marquette and while, you know, maybe Oprah and Tom Cruise don’t agree, I think they’re pretty similar communities. Um, they’re hard to get to. They’re, you know, physically beautiful, uh, welcoming. And I thought, you know, Marquette can be sort of the Telluride for the outdoor storytelling community in the Great Lakes region.

And, uh, poof. It, it did. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And how do you think it’s helped to strengthen Marquette’s outdoor culture and its creative community? 

Aaron Peterson: I mean, one direct link between the outdoor culture and the creative community that Fresh Coast brings, um, is getting, um, outdoor leadership students from NMU, uh, Northern Michigan University, our local university, um, directly involved with Fresh Coast leading outdoor tours during the, the festival and that, that’s become part of their curriculum.

You know, these are our future national Park interpreters. Guides, small business owners, and part of their curriculum is planning and leading, um, trips and interpretive uh, events. And, you know, we, we made that a key part of, of FreshCo. So, you know, one of the direct links is we’re bringing future outdoor leaders together with the creative community at the festival In other ways, I would say bringing the creative community of the region to Marquette and mixing that with our local creative community.

We’re fairly isolated. I mean, we are, you know, seven hours from. Minneapolis, St. Paul Chicago, Detroit, Grand Rapids. Um, you know, we’re kind of out here on our own and it’s, it’s hard to stay connected and, um, you know, anyone who’s worked in the creative field knows that it is very much who, you know, who’s in your circle, and that’s how you get jobs, how you get hired.

So bringing those folks together here and mixing that in Marquette, everyone’s enjoying themselves. Um, hopefully they’re getting outside and, you know, drawing creativity from the landscape. Then can take that back to their, their communities. We get film submissions from, uh, all over the world. Um, we try and kind of have the center of the festival be, um, from the Great Lakes region, and we define that as a, a state or province that that borders on, on one of the Great Lakes.

And then we kind of flesh out. The rest of the festival will be similar content from festivals that you would see, um, like traveling nationally or inter internationally like, like bam. Mountain Festival, uh, mountain Film and, and Telluride. So we’re, we kind of have this Great Lakes core and then we have this kind of national, international rapper to the festival that makes it also appealing then to, to the audience.

Um, um, you know, there’s, and I think too, it’s important to show our regional and local stories alongside. Um, national, international stories, um, to show that the, the relevance that yeah, they are local or they’re regional, but they’re still part of this broader conversation about the outdoors, um, about resiliency.

Um, you know, we, we have a lot of fresh water in this region and, um, as the world shifts, it’s gonna be more and more important and. I think showing these stories side by side, um, is important to kind of elevate everyone’s frame of mind that, that, oh, we live in a, you know, a, a globally significant region.

Mm-hmm. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And how do you think festivals like this can help to educate on challenges associated with climate change? 

Aaron Peterson: Oof. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Is that something that, that is focused on at the festival? 

Aaron Peterson: Yeah, I mean, so, so, you know, Fresh Coast has, has three, um, three pillars or three driving themes, um, adventure conservation and inspiration.

And, you know, we live in an area that is, that, that is being impacted by, by climate change. Uh, lake Superior is the fastest warming lake in the world because of its size and surface area. And. Part of what defines Lake Superior is how cold it is and the, you know, the ecosystem that that creates. So even a little bit of warming really shifts, um, what happens within the lake and then in the communities around the lake.

So, you know, showing stories, um, sharing stories at Fresh Coast that. Um, talk about climate change are really important because they aren’t necessarily part of the national or international conversation. Um, you know, we hear a lot about hurricanes, um, things like that. Extreme weather events, um, you know, uh, sea levels along the equator, things like that.

The, the story of the Great Lakes and how it’s dealing with climate change and, um, trying to stay resilient in the face of it. Isn’t always part of the national conversation. So having that be at Fresh Coast, I think is, it’s one area where you can see these stories, um, all, all brought together and, you know, you’re looking out at the lake, you’re right here next to the landscape that’s being, IM impacted.

While climate change isn’t visible every day in every way, um, it’s certainly here and we see it in. Uh, more volatility in our weather patterns. Um, this is traditionally big snow country. This is, uh, we get lake effect snow, hundreds of inches of lake effect snow, and that’s part of the reason I’m here. I was drawn to this region for snow and top secret.

It doesn’t get that cold either, so you get tons of snow and not that cold. It’s an amazing winter landscape to live and play in. But that isn’t always the case. Um, we’re seeing, um, less and less snow. Um, there’s big years and there’s off years. And, um, two winters ago we experienced, uh, a very, very off year.

You know, not only personally was it frustrating and, uh, to not be able to get out in the snow. Um. You know, believe it or not, I love moving snow, blowing snow, but skiing and, and you know, snowmobiling, all the recreation that, that comes from it, it’s honestly, it’s my favorite time of year. It’s a calm time, it’s a downtime.

Um, you know, there’s a lot of. A lot of talk about, um, hug and hug or Higg Hug. Hug and like that Scandinavian quiet time, darkness and warm beverages. And that is absolutely at, at play here. And I look forward to it to kind of recharge and, um, fill up that, that creativity that gets spent during that kind of hectic summer and fall.

So that was missing. And you know, it’s, while it’s a bummer, um. Uh, hand in hand with that is the economy just, just tanked. I mean, we personally had almost zero work. Um, and you know, luckily they, there was a, a disaster declaration for the region and we were able to get, um, financial help, um, in the form of low interest SBA loans.

But, you know, they’re still loans. It’s 30 year term. And while the economy came back from that, it didn’t come back 200% to help you, you know, pay off the debt that you now took on. I mean, I didn’t have any business debt, um, before COVID and the combination of COVID and then what, a year or two later, um, having no winter.

Um, it’s, it’s devastating. I mean, we. We’re okay, we’re solid. But, um, again, things didn’t come roaring back at 200 or 300% and to help you pay down that debt. So the financial hardships of climate change are absolutely, you know, lurking always, it feels like, and it’s always in the back of my head. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. And that winter of no snow, how did that affect some of the tourism businesses around here?

Aaron Peterson: I mean, we, we had whole events canceled, you know, these large events. Um. There’s a a sled dog event that takes place right downtown. The UP 200, they close the main street, cover it with snow, thousands and thousands and thousands of spectators come and line, line the streets to see mushers, you know, race 200 miles.

They go out and they come back to the city that was canceled two years in a row. Um, due to weather concerns. You, you know, just the, the numbers of people that come here for that event. You know, whether it it’s our restaurants, our breweries, our hotels, you know, that money just wasn’t there. And I think everyone felt that, you know, throughout the community, um, you know, artists didn’t sell as much art, you know, wait, staff didn’t get as much tips, um, everything from, you know.

Business owners at the top of the food chain down to, you know, folks, you know, literally serving the, the travel industry. Um, were were impacted and, and we, we were too. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: Yeah. So kind of a, a preview into what this place would be like without tourism a little bit. So on that note, how do you think tourism can inspire a deeper appreciation or even stewardship of the natural world?

Aaron Peterson: I think travel can inspire a deeper appreciation of the natural world. By, you know, visiting areas like Marquette, which are still, you know, fairly, fairly lost in time. I mean, there’s a lot of old, old, old small town, old fashioned stuff here, but, you know, we are five minutes away from the wilderness and to be able to kind of dip back and forth.

But between this, you know, small urban environment and nature, I think is, is really important for travellers. They can kind of have the amenities, the, the things that. Uh, a vacation normally holds, but they can also challenge themselves, which I think is important to, uh, a lot of the community as life gets easier and easier, uh, physically and stuff.

Um, you know, we see the rise of these endurance sports and, uh, challenge events and I think that’s kind of missing in, in society and coming to places that offer that. I think, um. It doesn’t sound on its face, it doesn’t sound like it makes sense, but challenging yourself physically in, in the outdoors, uh, I think is, you know, part of human nature and we’ve got it here.

Yeah. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And do you think that there’s any sort of challenge they might have to their beliefs or not, not necessarily beliefs, but to how they see themselves connected to the land when they’re out experiencing it? 

Aaron Peterson: Right. I, I would hope that that visitors would. Have their mindset challenged, um, by experie experiencing nature, whether it’s sort of that grand, that grand view of, you know, being up on a high point and looking out over Lake Superior and just having your mind blown that, you know, these aren’t things most people think about day in and day out.

And even people that live in Marquette, you know, it just becomes natural, normal. The lake’s just always there. But to sort of do that reset every once in a while and. Intentionally look at the landscape and fill yourself with it. Um, I think is is really important for e everyone. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And how do you see respect Marquette playing into that and maybe having a role in shifting perspectives for residents or visitors once they go home too?

Aaron Peterson: I think the way the Respect Marquette program fits into our travel. Industry and our travel culture here is helping shape who visits Marquette and how they visit Marquette. Um, and the Marquette area. What I hope it brings is travelers with more of an awareness, um, of the community they’re visiting and the landscapes they’re visiting, and some of just the, the rules of the road.

Just some, some basic respect for both the citizenry and the the landscape. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And how do you think, uh, DMO like travel Marquette can help encourage that behavior? 

Aaron Peterson: I feel d os like travel, Marquette can start programs like the Respect Marquette program, which, you know, you’re not just in the business of attracting travelers.

Um, you know, you, it really is sort of educating and shaping. Uh, who your, your travel clientele is. Um, I feel, I feel like it really works. I mean, it, it might sound a little, a little weak, but I feel like it works and authentic stories, a little bit of education goes a long way. And we think about this stuff a lot.

I mean, we, we put travel at the center of our business plan, and so it’s, it’s important for us to make sure. It’s done well and, and exists, um, into the future. I think, you know, D Mos have have a responsibility to take care of their communities. Just like any business organization, whether it’s a Chamber or um, you know, some kind of economic development group in the community D os have that responsibility as well.

The, you know, the difference being, they are bringing fresh faces to the community. Versus, you know, sort of supporting members that are already here, businesses that are al already here. I mean, if, if you’re not representing your community honestly and authentically, I think you’re doing a disservice to both the community and the, the would be traveler.

I mean, if you’ve had an experience of thinking a, a destination is one thing, and arriving and realizing it’s, it’s another, um, you know, we. Vacations travel is a big deal. You know, it, it’s a, it’s a big, it’s a big spend for a lot of families, a lot of individuals. Marketing authentically and honestly is going to attract the type of traveler that your community deserves and that, you know, add to the community as opposed to detract.

That’s my personal feeling, but I feel like it’s also backed up with, um, some of the, the results we’ve seen here. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And what are some of those results? 

Aaron Peterson: Uh, so for, for one thing, you know, some of the results that we’re seeing, I mean, it’s successful. I mean, our hotels are largely full. Um, you know, there’s always that the shoulder seasons, which are tricky, but we’re working on it.

But I feel like you see it in the growth of events that. Weren’t necessarily started for tourism or for travel. They were their local events. We just had one this weekend, Marquette Trails Fest. You know, this is, um, a biking and running event that was started for the community by community members. And I believe most of the funding goes directly back to the trails, um, to support our trails.

You know, our, it’s, we have a large mountain bike trail network, um, also used for trail running, that sort of thing. Or just walking dogs, anything really. So seeing the numbers which equals dollars swell at events like that, um, which directly impact the natural infrastructure that residents use day in and day out.

Uh, I think that’s one of the, the positive signs that, that we’ve seen with this approach. One aspect of the respect Marquette program is, um, educating visitors and honestly residents too on trail etiquette. Um, how to use the trails side by side with other users, um, and, and you know, everyone to, to get along.

And it’s as simple as saying hi, you know, being. Being kind on the trails. Um, but then it’s also very practical on, you know, what types of trail users yield to other trail users and when, um, things that just have very practical applications like preventing collisions and accidents and dog bites, things like that.

And I, I feel like that’s working. You know, it’s in its infancy still, but you have to start somewhere and you have to support it. And I feel like respect Marquette is, has proven itself in the community that it’s. It has potential and it’s working, and I think it’s then seen, um, you know, corresponding support from the community.

Sara Raymond de Booy: And what kind of tourism do you hope Marquette attracts in the future? 

Aaron Peterson: My, my hopes for the travel industry in Marquette are the same hopes I have for humanity in general. You know, a growth mindset, um, curiosity. You know, a little less con consumerism, spending your resources on experiences, um, and not necessarily things.

And you know, I, I joke that, you know, nobody goes to Paris to buy a t-shirt or fudge. You know, you go to Paris ’cause it’s Paris and everything that comes with that, you know, the, the, the food, the experience, the history, the architecture, the art, um, you know, maybe outdoor recreation too, a little bit. I’ve always said that I hope.

We as a community can attract people that are coming here for our community, that, that see what we’re doing, see what we are and want to make that a, a part of them. Yeah. I want, I want our travel industry to be a, a reflection of, you know, progress for humanity. Really. Just like be better people and travel can do that, you know, and I think it can make us a better community too when someone journeys to a new community and.

Does it, you know, for travel reasons, for recreation, you know, you’re going there sort of leaving your, the baggage of your daily life behind. So you are sort of a blank slate going into a community. You know, it’s an opportunity for that community to sort of paint something. On, on your soul, on, you know, on your, your being on your psyche.

And then you can take that home and, and show it to, to your community and maybe, you know, spark that throughout your community. You know, whether it’s as practical as ideas of going to say, you know, Brevard, North Carolina, or, um. Um, the mountain bike regions in, in Arkansas, Bentonville, Arkansas, and, you know, seeing how those trails have been built or how they’re being sustained, how they’re handling, you know, a large influx of travelers coming there to use those trails, bringing that knowledge back to our small community and, you know, implementing best practices, you know, it can be as practical as that.

Or it can be, you know, quasi spiritual. Absorbing a place’s a place’s energy and creativity and bringing that back to your daily life. Um, I think it’s easier to, to live intentionally when you’re traveling as opposed to maybe in your daily life. Like, I think it’s a goal for a lot of people, but it’s, it’s tough when you have sort of the trappings of, of daily life.

Um, but when you travel, even if you’re traveling with young kids, which I’ve done, and it’s not easy, your guard is down a little bit, um, and your blinders are off and I feel like, you know, you’re. You can absorb more and you know, you can bring those things from your, the destination that you’re visiting, you can, um, bring those into your life and into your, your home community.

Yeah. You know, personally in our, our own education and skills, everything needs to grow, but I, I feel like with the travel industry, um, it can be shaped, um, too much growth, too fast. Isn’t necessarily good for the communities that are experiencing it. You know, it, it might be good for some business owners temporarily, but I think long term you’re gonna see that those boom and bust cycles, which, you know, this region is really, really, uh, experienced with.

With, uh, extraction industries like mining and, and timber, um, while they’re, you know, they’re the base of our community. Um, communities in this region have been burned by that boom and bust economy. And I think the same thing can happen with travel. If you’re not careful and you don’t, uh, implement things like the Respect Marquette program, um, you know, authentic, honest storytelling from a community.

You know, you, you kind of have to be careful what, what you wish for, um, growth for the sake of growth. Uh, isn’t really growth and you know, we, some personal experiences with Fresh Coast, you know, like Fresh Coast is in demand. We could grow it leaps and bounds and we intentionally reel it back, um, and say, Nope, this is who we are.

This is what we want to continue to be, and. Yes, we need to grow, but do we need to grow like that and why? And I, I think a community, um, a travel industry can, can look through the same lens and growth for the sake of growth can, uh, can, can be the opposite of growth. If the support for your industry collapses, 

Sara Raymond de Booy: what makes you proudest, uh, about the community, the whole community that you, uh, live and create.

Aaron Peterson: There’s a lot to be proud of, um, in the Marquette area and the, the up. But while the landscape is amazing and the out the opportunities for outdoor recreation are amazing, I keep coming back to the people and I think what makes me the most proud is, um, the openness of the community. Um, the acceptance. Um, even, even in the rural areas, you know that I think a lot of people, that, some people.

Would maybe not think they would feel welcomed in or that they would feel like an other, I think you’re more likely to experience curiosity. Um, and, and, and, you know, honest friendliness, you know, we just have a lot of open space and land still. And I, I hope, you know, as things shift, we can, we can retain that, um, sort of our, our unique identity.

And I think a part of that identity is the live and let live, um, mentality. 

Sara Raymond de Booy: And finally, what do you think the world can learn from Marquette? 

Aaron Peterson: Our team, I think on the Daily, is really thankful that we’re able to work in the travel industry. I mean, it’s, it’s a charmed. Life and that we sort of bumbled into a little bit, you know, um, when, when starting this business and, and looking at how to make it a success.

I mean, there were years and years and years where it was scraping by and I was, you know, we were doing magazine work, media type stuff, editorial, and then I started working with the travel industry and it was sort of an eye-opener. Of how it can be beneficial for my business and my life, but at the same time, beneficial for my community when done correctly.

Uh, and to be able to help shape that in our community. Um, we’re, we’re really proud of having been able to kind of shape the image of, of our community and, and grow it in a way that I think, I hope is sustainable, I feel is sustainable. I, I think the world can learn from Marquette that, you know, smaller can, can be smarter.

It doesn’t have to be, um, you know, a big spot with a lot of people to make cool things happen. Um, you know, I think Fresh Coast is an example of that, which just a handful of us started this thing and the community came to it because it’s a small enough community that individuals can have pretty radical change in that community still.

And I also think the world can learn a bit about tolerance from Marquette. I feel. You know, we, we live in a, a culture of, of tolerance here, and not even tolerance, just embracing the different. I feel like it’s still a curious community. It hasn’t been homogenized and, you know, a, a lot of what we see, um, along our interstates and stuff like that, we’re kind of a corner of the world.

Um, you know, almost like a little monastery for the world just separated from the rest and, um, kind of keeping alive, uh, a culture and a way of life that I think maybe, um, is less prevalent than it, than it used to be.

Sara Raymond de Booy: This has been Travel Beyond presented by Destination Think. And that was our conversation with Aaron Peterson, filmmaker based outta Marquette, Michigan, and also co-founder of the Fresh Coast Film Festival. Special thanks to Landmark Inn and Marquette for providing a recording space for some pretty epic views.

For this interview. For more resources and show notes, visit our website at destinationthink.com. This episode was hosted by me, Sarah Raymond de Booy. The episode has theme music composed by my co-producer, David Archer, Lindsay Payne, Danny Gariepy, and Cory Price provided production support. If you like what you hear, please take a moment to give us a five-star rating.

It helps more people find our show. Thanks for listening, and we’ll be back with more from Marquette next week when we speak with the owner of Oroc Brewing. To learn how a destination’s environmental stewardship can shape the business environment. See you then.