TOURISM TODAY

September/October 2000

Governor's Conference unveils www.wigcot.org

Watch for the September debut of www.wigcot.org, a new Web site devoted entirely to the Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism (WIGCOT).

The www.wigcot.org site will provide complete conference information and offer attendees an opportunity to register online.

The site will initially offer information on overnight accommodations, including host hotels and rates, and the conference in general.

Additional conference details will appear as they are developed. Look for sponsor information in October and preliminary agenda information in November. Online conference registration will be available in December. Registration for the Information Marketplace will be available in late December or early January 2001.

For those who prefer paper to electronics, registration forms will be mailed in December and Marketplace registration will be available in January as usual.

The 2001 WIGCOT will be held March 11-13 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

Room blocks for the 2001 Conference are available at the following hotels:
The Madison Concourse Hotel
$99 single/$109 double - Concourse Rooms
$129 single/$139 double - Governor's Club Rooms (king only)
800/356-8293

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

The reserved room block at the new Hilton Madison is filled. For a listing of other accommodations available in the Madison area, please call the Greater Madison CVB at 608/255-2537.

For more information on the 2001 WIGCOT, contact Dawn Aspenson at 608/266-3978 or daspenson@tourism.state.wi.us.

Governor opens Mall of America WTIC

Gov. Thompson joined Sec. Speros, Department staff, Rep. Pettis (R-Hertel), Sen. Panzer (R-West Bend), and Mall of America visitors for the Grand Opening of the Mall of America Wisconsin Travel Information Center (MOA WTIC) on July 13.

The celebration included entertainment by the Mississippi MuddCats of LaCrosse and Warren Nelson of Big Top Chatauqua. Gov. Thompson gave away a bike donated by Trek and two Wisconsin State Parks passes donated by Wisconsin State Parks. And cheese, provided by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, made it a true Wisconsin event.

The opening attracted the attention of Mall visitors, all three Minneapolis TV stations, and many local newspapers.

The new WTIC is located on the first floor of the MOA's west wing and is open year round during Mall hours.

travelwisconsin.com to offer visitors Internet scrapbook and storytelling product

The Department of Tourism is partnering with Lifesketch.com, a Wisconsin-based online multimedia album and scrapbook site, to offer Department Web site visitors an easy, creative and personalized way of documenting, saving and sharing their Wisconsin vacation stories.

The partnership will create a co-branded Web site giving users the ability to create personalized multimedia Wisconsin vacation travel stories online. The co-branded site, Wisconsin Memories, goes live this fall at travelwisconsin.com and will feature all components of the LifeSketch site including tools to build SketchBook s\'99 (multimedia albums and scrapbooks) using photos, letters, documents, audio and journal entries.

The partnership will give Wisconsin tourism customers a free Short Story LifeSketch membership. There are also plans to have a winter promotion offering prizes to the creator of the best Wisconsin winter vacation SketchbookTM.

"We are confident that our partnership with Lifesketch will offer an exciting benefit to our customers and bring more visitors to our Web site," Secretary Moose Speros said. "LifeSketch's ability to capture travel memories in an online, multimedia format that is easily shared and preserved provides us with a unique tool to market Wisconsin."

LifeSketch was launched in April 2000. It is the first in a new category of multimedia album and scrapbook building sites. The company is based in Madison.

Briefly

Fall color reports begin Sept. 6th: To keep the media and consumers updated to the shifts in Wisconsin's fabulous fall color, the Department will again offer fall color reports September 6 - October 25.
Travelers can check on fall color by calling 800/432-TRIP or logging onto travelwisconsin.com. The updates are also distributed to the media and used by ma ny stations during weather reports. Thank you to the many industry contacts watching for and reporting on weekly color. We couldn't provide this service without your timely and accurate reports. If your area CVB or Chamber wants to participate, please call Jennifer Schmitt with AB&L at 414/271-0101.

Governor appoints Cobb to Tourism Council: Gov. Thompson recently appointed Gloria Cobb, of the Lac du Flambeau Tribe, to the Governor's Council on Tourism. Cobb is the Deputy Director of Economic Development for the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council.
"We're excited to add Gloria to the team," Gov. Thompson said. "Her perspectives and experience will be an asset to the Council." Cobb's position on the Council runs through July 1, 2002. The Department of Tourism and the Governor's Council on Tourism extend a warm welcome to Gloria and look forward to her contributions to the Council.

Welcome to the Department: Lisa Moling joined the Department in July as the Database Marketing Coordinator in the Marketing Bureau. Lisa oversees the Department's one-to-one marketing initiatives and is developing the customer database to deliver more effective marketing messages. Some of her projects include permission marketing development, direct marketing, and customized e-mail messages. Prior to her position with the Department, Lisa was a marketing project specialist at CUNA Mutual Group. Lisa can be reached at 608/261-8203 or lmoling@tourism.state.wi.us.

WI is Chicago's #1 vacation destination: Chicago area residents ranked Wisconsin as their top vacation destination in a recent Chicago Tribune study. The Chicago Tribune 2000 Travel and Tourism Study found that in the last year, more Chicagoland adults (29%) vacationed in Wisconsin than in any other state. Wisconsin ranked ahead o f Florida (26%), Illinois (19%) and Michigan (18%). Wisconsin was also named the most popular Midwest state for Chicagoland skiers and golfers; it ranked second to Colorado for skiing and third behind only South Carolina and Florida for golf. According to Department research, Illinois residents account for 24% of all Wisconsin leisure trips making them the state's second-largest tourism market. In-state residents take the most leisure trips at 51%.

Co-Op Lead program enhanced

The Co-op Customer Lead program can now provide the tourism industry with electronic lists of names and addresses of customers who have already requested publications through Department fulfillment channels.

"Providing the names electronically enhances our one-to-one marketing efforts," Sec. Speros said. "It allows tourism businesses and organizations to make contact with a pre-qualified lead, someone who has already indicated an interest in Wisconsin and may have a strong propensity to travel to the area."

Names and addresses of customers in the Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul areas, Wisconsin, Iowa, and various other markets are available. Lists can be categorized by zip code, by publication requested, and by the month of contact.

Names and addresses are available as an electronic file or as pressure-sensitive labels for $10 per 1,000.

Customer names will be provided to the industry in a confidential manner and are intended for one-time use only.

To participate, industry partners will need to sign a List Rental Agreement that out lines the specific terms and conditions surrounding the use of the names. The Department will maintain documentation of the List Rental Agreement to track industry use of the Co-op Lead program.

For more information, contact Nicole Baker at AB&L at 414/271-0101 or nicole@milw.advbl.com.

Design & photography enhance new edition of Native Wisconsin

The new edition of the popular Native Wisconsin Guide is circulating. Sporting a bold new design and excellent photography, the Guide highlights Wisconsin's Native American communities.

The new design uses a parchment-like page background and a photo technique called silhouetting that enhance the Guide's look and content.

Each tribe is featured in its own two-page spread and an informative six-page section looks at Wisconsin's Native American Heritage. In addition, the publication covers major events, attractions, accommodations, and gaming facilities.

The Guide is a cooperative effort of the Wisconsin tribes, the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. The first printing produced 150,000 copies of this 36-page, full-color Guide.

Governor creates Film/Video Advisory Council

Recognizing the economic importance of film production and the visibility those projects generate, Gov. Tommy G. Thompson has formed the Governor's Film/Video Advisory Council.

The 15-member Council is charged with developing a plan to grow the state's film/video industry, attract film production and related business to Wisconsin, and assist the Department in promoting the state as a "film-friendly" location.

Appointed Council members represent all segments of the industry including advertising, production, crew, education, exhibition, promotion, legislative and tourism business.

"By utilizing the expertise of Council members and building upon past film success, we are confident we are on the right track to establishing Wisconsin as a bona fide film production location," Sec. Speros said.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for October 11th in Milwaukee. For additional information contact Stan Solheim at 608/267-3686 or ssolheim@tourism.state.wi.us.

Hitting the consumer show circuit

The Department is scheduled to attend the following 2000-01 shows:

Native American Tourism Conference Sept 28-30 Green Bay
Chicago Ski and Snowboard Show Nov 2-5 Chicago
Arlington Sportsfishing Expo Jan 4-7 Arlington Heights
Chicago Sport Show Jan 17-21 Chicago
Pontiac SilverDome Boat, Sport & Travel Show Jan 31-Feb 4 Pontiac
Chicago Golf Show Feb 2- 4 Chicago
St. Louis Sport Show Feb 13-18 St. Louis
Great Golf Show Feb 16-18 Minneapolis
Adventure Travel Show Feb 16-18 Chicago
Indianapolis Feb 16-25 Indianapolis
Des Moines Sport Show Feb 28-3 Des Moines
Milwaukee Sport Show Mar 16-25 Milwaukee
Minneapolis Sport Show Mar 16-25 Minneapolis
Madison Deer & Turkey Expo Mar 30-Apr 1 Madison

For more information on the Department's participation in consumer shows, please contact David Spiegelberg at 262/279-6856 or dspiegelberg@tourism.state.wi.us.

Governor's Council on Tourism Member Highlight - Bill Geist

Originally from Illinois, Bill Geist received his undergraduate degree in political science at Kenyon College in Ohio. After college, Bill enjoyed a 10-year career in the radio industry before accepting the top position at the CVB in his hometown of Kankakee, Illinois.

"I knew nothing about tourism, but learned very quickly how the industry so positively influences the economic development of a community," Geist said. "I enjoyed giving back to the community that raised me."

In 1990, Bill moved to Madison to oversee the Greater Madison CVB. During his tenure there, a top agenda item was securing approval for the Monona Terrace Convention Center.

Ready for a new challenge, Bill founded Zeitgeist Consulting in 1995. Today, Bill works with CVBs and state tourism agencies around the country and serves as president of the Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau (WACVB). Bill also completed his MBA at the UW-Madison.

Serving on the Governor's Council on Tourism since 1997, Bill has shared ideas and perspectives from his clients around the country, in addition to exerting efforts to shift the Council's vision to a more strategic, rather than tactical approach.

"We need to look ahead - not five months down the road, but five years," Geist said.

Geist recently completed his term as the Leisure Marketing Committee chair. He now plans to concentrate his efforts on working with the State Legislature on the importance of tourism to the economic and cultural development of this state.

"For the future of Wisconsin tourism, our biggest challenge is funding," Geist said.

Geist's term on the Council ends in 2001.

Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Conference Reminder

There is still time to register for the 2000 Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Conference October 17-19 at the Chalet Landhaus in New Glarus. "Sense of Place: Experiencing Local Heritage" is the theme of the ninth annual conference which includes educational sessions on marketing, interpretive planning and folklore, and special field sessions highlighting Green County' s rich heritage.

Early bird registration deadline is October 9. On-site registration is available. F or more information on the Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Conference or the Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Program contact Lee Ann Merrill at 608/266-7299 or lmerrill@tourism.state.wi.us. Information is also available at travelwisconsin.com/agency.

Wisconsin's Great River Road receives National Scenic Byway Designation

Wisconsin's Great River Road was recently designated a National Scenic Byway for 2000, the first such designation in Wisconsin and one of only 72 in the nation.

The Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission successfully applied for the designation through the Federal Highway Administration's National Scenic Byways Program.

National Scenic Byways are exceptional roads through areas that exemplify regional characteristics. They possess distinctive cultural, historic, natural or other qualities unique among neighboring states.

A dedication for Wisconsin's Great River Road designation was held on August 23 in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Wisconsin Travel Information Center (WTIC) in Prairie du Chien.

Summer radio campaign wins award

The Department's summer radio campaign took top honors at the 16th Annual Silver Microphone Awards in the Resorts/Tourism category.

All three campaign spots - Shake Rag Street, USS Cobia, and Potato River Falls -received recognition.

The competition, open to more than 40,000 advertising agencies, production studios and radio stations in the US, honors local and regional radio commercials, audio programs and Web sites. Entries were judged for creativity, production quality, copywriting, talent and overall effectiveness.

The Department's marketing staff and advertising agency, AB&L, created the commercials.