College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Community Sustainability

Dan McCole, Associate Professor in the Department of Community Sustainability, was elected President of the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan (TICOM) in early 2026. TICOM is a statewide tourism industry association representing destination marketing organizations, attractions, lodging, and related tourism businesses and trade associations. McCole has served on the TICOM board in various capacities for over eight years since 2011.

McCole joined MSU in 2009 as a faculty member position that was designed with a significant outreach component to support Michigan’s tourism industry, especially following the closure of the MSU Travel, Tourism, and Recreation Resource Center. Tourism is Michigan’s third largest industry, just behind agriculture in terms of economic impact. McCole reflects on the connection between his role at MSU and TICOM saying, “Part of MSU’s land-grant mission is to apply knowledge to improve lives, livelihoods, and communities and my involvement with TICOM has helped me to deliver on that mission.” McCole has a significant history in providing his expertise to those industry leaders to support tourism throughout Michigan through his roles in TICOM and his academic research. McCole developed the state’s annual tourism forecast from 2010 to 2017 and led numerous presentations at the annual tourism conference- the major tourism industry gathering- to provide insights to trends and relevant research.

Beyond his engagement with industry professional, McCole regularly brings these connections to MSU for the benefit of his students. “My involvement with TICOM has allowed me to bring in members of the industry to my classes at MSU so students have first-hand experiences hearing from tourism employers around the state. I’ve also been able to bring students into the collaborations with communities and organizations that have a need for support on projects that are meaningful to the community” says McCole.  Students in McCole’s classes have appreciated working on a real-life projects and often come back to share how these real-world experiences have been an invaluable discussion point in successful job interviews.  

In his newly elected capacity on TICOM, McCole is leading a collaboration between TICOM and the MSU Extension Tourism team to create educational programs for the industry.  Their first large initiative, called the MITTEN Program (MIchigan Tourism Training and Engagement), is set to start the pilot later this year. The MITTEN training program seeks to equip frontline tourism industry workers with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to provide excellent customer service, share local information, and understand the vital role tourism plays in Michigan’s economy. Its focus areas included customer service excellence, local knowledge and recommendations, and information about tourism in Michigan.

McCole emphasizes the importance of these MSU-industry collaborations as vital to strengthening the industry in a holistic way. McCole notes, “TICOM plays a vital role in strengthening Michigan’s travel and tourism industry through governmental advocacy, strategic communication, collaboration, and education. We are committed not only to supporting economic growth, but also to protecting Michigan’s natural and cultural resources and enhancing quality of life for residents across the state.”