Midvale » Michele Michalewicz spent part of her childhood moving from one national park to another with her father, a health inspector for the National Park Service.

"That's how I got tourism in my blood," said Michalewicz, who recently began her term as the 2009 chairwoman and chief executive of the National Tour Association. "The national parks are definitely close to my heart."

The president of Midvale-based tour operator Western Leisure, Inc., she is now involved in an effort to convince the incoming Obama administration of the wisdom of using tourism to jump-start the moribund economy.

Along with 37 other tourism-related organizations, the National Tour Association is involved in drafting a "white paper" addressing seven issues advocates believe will bolster the nation's $740 billion-a-year tourism industry.

"It's all about stimulating the economy," said Michalewicz, citing the benefits that could be derived from making it easier for foreign visitors to obtain travel visas to come to the United States and to get through customs. The U.S. also could profit greatly, she added, from a national tourism marketing campaign similar to those conducted by many other countries.

"If the U.S. share of the travel market increased 1 percent, it would mean $13.5 billion for the economy, which means lower taxes for businesses and lower taxes for individuals," Michalewicz said. "We need to get those folks in here to see our beautiful scenery."

Tourism groups would like to get a cabinet-level position in an Obama government, or at least an advisory role coordinating the approaches of different federal agencies to tourism issues.

"With this new administration, things may change," she said. "It may look to tourism to stimulate the economy."

As a member of the Utah Tourism Industry Coalition, representing private sector companies, Michalewicz also hopes to convince legislators not to cut the state's investment in funding for cooperative marketing ventures between the Utah Office of Tourism and local and regional tourism interests.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s proposed budget trims the Tourism Office's marketing budget from $11 million to $7 million, and lawmakers are said to be looking for deeper cuts across all state agencies. That would be a mistake, Michalewicz said. Two years of intensified Tourism Office promotions have produced a return of up to $17 for every state tax dollar invested in the campaign.

Now is a good time to increase advertising, she added, citing projections that motor-coach tours will be up this year. "Americans are still going to take vacations."

Having Michalewicz as the National Tour Association leader -- the third Utahn to fill the post in recent years -- is a credit to Utah's standing within the industry, said Tourism Office Managing Director Leigh von der Esch.

"It's always nice to have one of our own recognized like this," she said. "I also tip my hat to Western Leisure. They have been a beacon as a private company working with the state to promote tourism. They have been absolutely invaluable in helping us open the China market."

mikeg@sltrib.com