TOURISM TODAY

May/June 2000

Traveler spending up 7.8% in 1999, all seasons see increase

Travelers spent an estimated $8.7 billion in Wisconsin during 1999.

The figure represents a 7.8 percent increase in tourism's contribution to the state's economy over 1998, and a 51 percent increase in the past five years.

Traveler dollars generated $4.8 billion in resident income, a 7.9% increase, and supported 248,681 full-time jobs, a 2.6% increase.

In addition, traveler spending generated $1.4 billion in taxes and other revenues for state and local governments. This marks a 7.75% increase over 1998.

Without tourism expenditures in 1999, state and local taxes would have increased $688 per household to maintain government services at current levels.

"Wisconsin tourism continues to be a top contributor to our state's economy generating billions of dollars annually," Gov. Thompson said. "The efforts of tourism businesses and organizations to make Wisconsin a four-season tourism destination continue to pay off."

Traveler expenditures increased in all four seasons, confirming the state's goal to make Wisconsin a year-round travel destination is on target.

• Winter/Spring (Dec-Apr) expenditures increased 10 percent totaling $2.6 billion.
• Summer (May-Aug) expenditures increased 6 percent to $4.2 billion.
• Fall (Sept-Nov) expenditures increased 9 percent to $2 billion.

"1999 proved to be a great year for many Wisconsin Tourism businesses. A strong economy and increased marketing of Wisconsin contributed to a banner year," Department of Tourism secretary Moose Speros said.

The Department of Tourism released the figures in conjunction with National Tourism Week, May 7-13. Davidson-Peterson Associates Inc., a firm specializing in tourism economic impact research, compiled the figures for the department.

Traveler expenditures were measured from December 1998-November 1999. The study includes impact figures for all 72 Wisconsin counties (see page 5).

'99 Economic Impact Study - County by County Data

For additional information on the 1999 Economic Impact of Travelers study, contact David Scheler at 608/261-8187 or Sue Hamilton at 608/266-6792.

Tourism Week, May 7-13

The Wisconsin tourism industry is celebrating National Tourism Week, May 7-13, with a variety of activities throughout the state. The week showcases the economic strength and growth of Wisconsin' s tourism industry and provides an excellent opportunity for local communities and attractions to promote their products and services.

WTIC Activities
Wisconsin Travel Information Centers are commemorating the week with various activities includ ing: visits from local attraction representatives, school group tours, special displays, live radio broadcasts, contests, giveaways (including State Park passes compliments of the Wisconsin DNR Parks System) and Wisconsin-made treats to attract visitors and showcase the importance of tourism in Wisconsin.

Classroom Program
The Department of Tourism has again sent special Tourism Week classroom packets to all 5,130 Wisconsin fourth grade classes. The packet encourages fourth-grade teachers to focus their curriculum on Wisconsin tourism during National Tourism Week.

This year's packet highlights Wisconsin State Parks Centennial. The Wisconsin Reader will look at how the state parks system originated, highlight individual state park sites and preview centennial celebration events.

In addition, teachers will be provided with a list of classroom activities and a letter to parents suggests ideas on ways to commemorate the anniversary outside the classroom. All the students will receive a state parks centennial s ticker, courtesy of the DNR Parks System.

Tourism Works for Wisconsin Day

Gov. Thompson was the special guest at a Tourism Works for Wisconsin Day luncheon in Madison on Tuesday. The governor congratulated the industry on tourism' s contributions to the state' s economy and pledged his continued support to Wisconsin tourism. Gov. Thompson also unveiled the new Tourism Works for Wisconsin video (see page 4).

Governor' s Conference on Tourism Q & A

One of the most important components of the Governor' s Conference is the feedback we receive from the industry. Here are answers to some of the questions we received at the Governor' s Council on Tourism' s listening session and the Department' s showcase presentation.

Q:Will the Department share its e-mail database?
A: Currently, the Department is building its e-mail database and developing policies that will ensure we address customer privacy concerns. We expect to share e-mail addresses of interested customers with the Wisconsin tourism industry by the end of 2000.

Q:Since the Mississippi is the western border of Wisconsin, will the Department promote it more in upcoming campaigns?
A: The Department is doing a great deal to promote the Mississippi River corridororganizations located in the counties along the river have received . Tourism more than Effort Marketing grants during the past two fiscal years. The $60,000 in Joint Department provides annually to the Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway $15,000 Commission Great River Road co m munities to the domestic (MRPC) that promotes the marketMississippi River Country, a marketing organization . We are members of and help fund that promotes the Mississippi River states internationally. Scenes of the Mississippi River are included in many of our new marketing mate rials such as our new television commercials, the TV Week wrap and the new edition of the Wisconsin Travel Guide.

Q: Your material is terrific, but how can we get a quicker delivery to our visitor centers throughout the state?
A: Orders for multiple quantities or cases of publications are sent to our distributor within one day. In most cases, for financial reasons, we use Parcel Post from the US Postal Service tomail case quantities. The USPS states that packages mailed Parcel Post should arrive within one week. Our tests report thatfive days is the typical delivery time. On some occasions, ordered materials may not be in inventory. The request is then placed on back order until the shipments arrive from our printers. Orders are mailed as expediently as po ssible once the warehouse has received the publications. Please direct questions about the delivery of a specific quantity publication order to Will Kuehn 608/266-5382.

Q: In what publications will the multicultural ads run?
The Departmentwell-balanced sampling of ' s multi-cultural campaign is highlighted in a African American and Hispanic newspapers in WisconsinIllinois and the Twin , Northern Citiesfour-color fu ll page ad . Additionally, to extend our reach beyond the core markets, a will run in the July issue of Ebony magazinemulti-cultural campaign . Newspapers in which the ads will run includeCourier, Milwaukee Times, : Milwaukee Community Journal, Milwaukee Madison TimesSp anish Times, Chicago , Madison Umoja, Beloit Chronicle, Racine News, Citizen News GroupN'DIGO, Chicago Crusader , Chicago Independent Bulletin, Chicago GroupCities St. Paul Recorder, Twin , Chicago Exito, Chicago Extra, Chicago La Raza, Twin Cities Minneapolis SpokesmanTwin Cities La Prensa.

Midwest Travel Writers Directory available

The 2000 Midwest Travel Writers' Directory is a great tool that can help you get your message to writers, editors and photographers who specialize in covering the travel industry. The directory contains contact information, magazine and newspaper credits, and areas of writing specialties for dozens of writers located in the Midwest. The directory is $35. The directory and a 31/2-inch diskette containing the writers' contact information is $50. To receive your copy, send a check to Midwest Travel Writers Association, PO Box 480806, Kansas City, MO 64148.

Thanks Milwaukee...on to Madison
2000 Governor' s Conference wrap-up

The 2000 Governor' s Conference on Tourism, held March 19-21 in Milwaukee, was a great success thanks to the support of many organizations.

Special thanks to the Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Milwaukee Hilton and their entire staff, the Midwest Express Center and our many sponsors.

Tallies show 1,160 industry representatives attended the conference, a jump from 1998, and that Information Marketplace was stocked with 89 booths.

Eleven students were honored with the Tourism Career Initiative Award, an awards program designed specifically for Wisconsin college-level juniors and seniors with interests in future tourism careers. We commend the following students for participating in this year' s program: Jason Bauknecht and Brenda Neff - Madison Area Technical College; Candice Hitter, Jessica Jo Hofschulte, Yi-Ping Lan, Michele Price, Joann Vandenlangenberg and Jason Ring -UW-Stout; Tiffany Porath and Danica Potier - Fox Valley Technical College; and Dale Quick - Mid-State Technical College.

A special thank you to the following tourism leaders for sponsoring and mentoring these students: Dan Dick - Hotel Mead; John Lincoln - AB&L Joan LeMahieu - Monona Terrace Convention Center; Fran Weaver - Oshkosh CVB; Steve Magnuson - Grand Geneva; Gerald Rappaport - Hilton Milwaukee; Romy Snyder - Wisconsin Dells VCB.

Thank you also to the 2000 Governor' s Conference on Tourism sponsors. At the Platinum Level - Ho-Chunk Nation; the Gold Level -Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Silver Level - Lee Enterprises & Madison Newspapers, Philip Morris Companies; and at the Bronze Level - Chicago Tribune, Cultural Coalition of Wisconsin, Discover Wisconsin, Fish & Schulkamp, Lac du Flambeau, Marcus Hotels, Midwest Express Airlines, Midwest Living Magazine, Oneida Bingo & Casino, Potawatomi Bingo Casino, WI Innkeepers Assn. & WI Restaur ant Assn., Wisconsin Sports Authority, and Wisconsin Trails/WACVB.

2001 Conference count-down

Mark your calendars now for the 2001 Governor' s Conference on Tourism March 11-13 at the Monona Terrace-Convention Center in Madison. Overnight accommodations can be arranged at the following hotels:
Madison Concourse Hotel
$99 single/$109 double - Concourse Rooms
$129 single/$139 double - Governor Club Rooms (King Only)
800/356-8293

Best Western - The Inn on the Park
$89 single/$99 double
800/279-8811

All rooms at the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace are booked. For additional accommodations in the greater Madison area, call the Greater Madison CVB at 608/255-2537.

Low interest loans available to tourism businesses

A new low interest loan program offered by the Departments of Commerce and Tourism can help tourism businesses interested in modernizing and diversifying their businesses.

"Many tourism businesses recognize the need to modernize or diversify their operations in order to remain competitive in today' s marketplace," Department of Tourism Secretary Moose Speros said. "These low interest loans can help them meet the needs of today' s vacationers."

The program offers three new financing tools:

• The Economic Impact Early Planning Grant (EI-EPG) Program offers matching grants to help businesses develop a business plan.
• The Economic Impact Loan (EIL) program provides low interest loans up to $100,000 to existing Wisconsin businesses interested in modernizing or improving their operations.
• The Economic Diversification Loan (EDL) program provides low interest loans to existing businesses interested in establishing or expanding operations in Wisconsin.

For more information, interested businesses can contact their Department of Tourism consultant or call Kathy Collins of the Department of Commerce at 608/267-0769.

Archer and Diehl appointed to tourism council

Gov. Thompson recently appointed two new members to the Governor's Council on Tourism.

Deb Archer is the president of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). Archer has served as the past vice president of the GMCVB and has held positions as the associate director of sale s for the Greater Kansas City CVB and as CEO of the Park City Chamber Commerce and CVB in Utah. Her position on the council expires July 1, 2003.

Jill Diehl is the general manager of the Copa Cabana Hotel Resort in Wisconsin Dells and serves as a marketing director for Tommy Bartlett, Inc. She is also the vice president and accommodations director for the Wisconsin Dells VCB. Diehl' s council term will expire July 1, 2002.

In making the appointments, Gov. Thompson stated, "Deb and Jill' s dedication and expertise in the field of tourism will be a valuable asset to the council and to the great state of Wisconsin."

The Department of Tourism and the Governor' s Council on Tourism welcome Deb and Jill and look forward to their contributions to the council.

New tourism impact video available

The Department of Tourism, in conjunction with Discover Wisconsin Productions, has produced a new video that showcases the travel and tourism industry' s positive impact on Wisconsin.

Featuring Gov. Tommy G. Thompson and other state residents, this new resource was unveiled during Tourism Week. It demonstrates how communities, businesses and organizations across the state are positively affected on an economic, social, and cultural level by tourism - both directly and indirect ly.

The video and its companion piece, the Tourism Works for Wisconsin booklet, are great tools to reach business leaders, elected officials, educators, students, and local residents.

To order the video, send $7.15 to Discover Wisconsin, 8158 Half Mile Road, St. Germain, WI 54558, attn: Lisa Rose. The check must accompany the order. The fee includes all shipping and handling costs.

Limited quantities of the Tourism Works for Wisconsin booklet are available free of charge by contacting Linda Anderson at 608/261-8212.

WTICs are staffed, ready for summer

The hiring of four new staff at the Chicago and Marinette Wisconsin Travel Information Centers (WTICs) means that all 12 WTICs are primed for summer 2000.

Tami Mertz was promoted to manager of the Chicago-WTIC in March. Tami has been with the Department since March 1999 as a travel information assistant at the Chicago center.

Pattie Harding and Bill Lin den also join the Chicago-WTIC staff as travel information assistants. Pattie has owned her own business for the last 10 years. Bill had been working as a limited term employee travel information assistant in the Chicago-WTIC since last fall.

Lorrie Walker is the new lead-worker at the Marinette-WTIC. She started at the position in April. Lorrie is a Marinette native and is excited to join the tourism industry. All four staff members bring a wealth of information and talent to the Department. Please take a chance to stop in the centers to welcome them.

Governor' s Council on Tourism Member Highlight

Rep. Marty Reynolds
Born and raised in Ladysmith, this former Ladysmith mayor began his first-term in the State Assembly in 1990.

A strong advocate for Wisconsin' s great north, Rep. Reynold' s interest in tourism peaked over a year ago when he helped rescue the former 1907 Carnegie Library in Ladysmith from demolition. The experience brought the benefits of tourism to the forefront, and for Rep. Reynolds, create d a vision of expanding tourism in Ladysmith.

"I recall sitting in my home and staring out the window. I'd see the Flambeau River and Municipal Park across the way and I' d think to myself, this is the kind of place people drive hundreds of miles to enjoy a nd I have it right here."

Rep. Reynolds said. "Tourism includes all that nature has to offer through fishing, biking and hiking in Wisconsin' s lakes and parks." Rep. Reynolds is a plumbing and heating contractor by trade. He' s hoping his trade skills and tourism knowledge will bring success to his six-guestroom bed and breakfast scheduled to open in Ladysmith this summer. Still knee deep in renovation, Rep. Reynolds will market his bed and breakfast as a destination where guests can stay two or three days and be able to see what Ladysmith and Rusk County have to offer.

"As a Northern Wisconsin native and soon-to-be bed and breakfast owner, I've always been interested in tourism." Rep. Reynolds said. "My position on the Council has helped me gain a new perspective on Wisconsin' s tourism industry."

Rep. Reynolds represents the 87th Assembly District that includes Rusk, Taylor and Price counties. He is currently in the second year of his first-term on the Governor' s Council on Tourism.

Wisconsin to celebrate Preservation Week

The Wisconsin preservation community will celebrate the state' s rich architectural heritage during Preservation Week May 13-21. The theme of this year's celebration is "Your Ticket to the Past".Events are planned statewide to promote historical places, heritage tourism and the social and economic benefits of historic preservation. For more information on Preservation Week, or to receive a calendar of events, contact the State Historical Society Division of Historic Preservation at 608/264-6500. Information can also be found on the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Web site at www.shsw.wisc.edu/hpweek.

Mall of America WTIC to open June 1

Negotiations for space in the Mall of America (MOA) are complete. A new Wisconsin Travel Information Center (WTIC) is set to open in the MOA on June 1. The MOA is the number one destination in the country and we expect this new center to have a tremendous impact on promoting travel to Wisconsin. The WTIC-MOA will be open during mall hours - 84 hours per week, 364 days a year. That means we need to hire plenty of staff. There are multiple openings for hourly employees to staff the WTIC-MOA. Interested persons as asked to send a resume to the attention of Sonja Johnson at the WTIC-Hudson, 2221 Crestview Dr., Hudson, WI 54016. Wages range from $9-11 per hour and include Please stop in to see the new center at 125 West Market and watch for details on its Grand Opening.

Copies of 2000 TV spots available
Due to the resounding popularity of the Stay Just a Little Bit Longer 2000 Summer Campaign TV commercials, the Department has made it possible for the industry to order video copies of the spots. For your copy of the 2000 Stay spots, please send a check for $7.15 to: Discover Wisconsin, 8158 Half Mile Road, St. Germain, WI 54558; attn: Lisa Rose. The check must accompany the order. Price includes all shipping and handling costs.

Please note that the video dubs are available for internal use only. Spots can be used for small audience presentations, but cannot be used for commercial re-broadcast purposes.