TOURISM TODAY
January/February 1998
New Year’s resolution No. 1; register now for tourism conference
As the calendar turns to 1998, plans for the 12th annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism, set for March 1-3 in Madison, are being finalized. Meanwhile, more than 1,200 members of the Wisconsin tourism industry are making registration for the ’98 conference their top New Year’s resolution.
In ’98, the conference returns to the city where it all began -- Madison, and the city’s new Monona Terrace Convention Center. Designed by renowned Wisconsin architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the new convention center will add a special ambiance to the annual Governor’s Conference.
The 1998 conference will be even more festive as Wisconsin celebrates its 150th birthday. The Sesquicentennial theme will run throughout the conference with an agenda focused on Wisconsin’s resources, and new ways to market it’s tourism product.
The 1998 conference theme, "Around the World in Wisconsin: Our Heritage & Our Vision," will emphasize sales and marketing with opening keynote presenter, Martha Rogers. Rogers is a co-author of the ground-breaking international best-seller The One to One Future: Building Relationships One Customer at a Time. One-to-one marketing increases efficiency and profitability by selling more goods to fewer people. Rogers will present a morning keynote session followed by an advanced marketing program in the afternoon.
Other conference highlights include:
Sunday, March 1: A meeting of the Governor’s Council on Tourism, a Department of Tourism Listening Session, and a sensational Welcoming Reception hosted at the Kohl Center by the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau and the greater Madison hospitality community.
Monday, March 2: A full day of marketing education with sessions on cultural tourism, eco-responsible tourism, sustainable tourism, and international marketing. Evening entertainment will include the Information Marketplace & Taste of Wisconsin.
Tuesday, March 3: Another full day of marketing education including the Department of Tourism Showcase, with breakout sessions on lifestage marketing, tourism trends and research, information technology, and public relations. The conference will conclude with the Governor’s Reception and Banquet in the evening.
Once again, special tour opportunities designed for the spouse or guest of an attendee will be offered. Included in the Guest Program, developed by the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, is a day of museums and shopping in downtown Madison. The following day will include a visit to the Wollersheim Winery and gambling at the Ho-Chunk Casino. Lunch will be provided both days.
The following Madison Hotels have set aside a block of rooms at special rates for the tourism conference: The Madison Concourse Hotel - 800/356-8293; the Best Western - Inn On the Park - 800/279-8811; and the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel - 608/251-5511
During the conference, a shuttle will provide transportation between the Monona Terrace Convention Center and the above listed hotels. As there is limited parking at the convention center, we encourage you to stay at one of the listed hotels for added convenience. In the conference confirmation packets, suggestions will be provided for alternative parking facilities with directions on where to pick-up the shuttle.
Registration forms have been mailed for the 1998 Governor’s Conference on Tourism. If you have not yet received yours, or if you require additional copies, please call Dawn Aspenson at (608)266-3978.
Heritage Tourism selects 2 new sites
Two new project sites have been chosen for Wisconsin’s Heritage Tourism program: "Coulee Pathways" located in La Crosse, Monroe, Juneau, Vernon and Sauk Counties, and "Lake Superior Heritage Highways" located in Ashland and Bayfield Counties.
The two new projects will each receive $80,000 in matching grants over the next two years to develop and market their heritage tourism areas.
The Coulee Pathways living history project will focus on the natural and human forces that have interacted to shape the landscape and culture of Western Wisconsin. The area’s geography, untouched by glaciers, is a series of alternating high ridges and deep valleys. A succession of Native Americans, loggers, miners and homesteaders all developed pathways through this maze-like "coulee" country. The area’s unique geography shaped the history of its inhabitants.
The Lake Superior Heritage Highways project introduces visitors to
the resources of Lake Superior and the area’s rich fur trading, lumbering, mining and shipping history. An audio cassette guides visitors on a 90-mile driving tour along the south shore of Lake Superior. It highlights local lore and encourages travelers to stop to enjoy historic sites, community celebrations and facilities along the route. More than 105 attractions and events are featured on the tour.
The two new project sites join eight existing Heritage Tourism sites across the state. Begun in 1990, Wisconsin’s Heritage Tourism program is the oldest and most successful in the nation.
Get ready to wow-‘em for Pow Wow ‘98
In 1998, the Wisconsin tourism industry will have a unique opportunity to showcase itself for the world travel market. Pow Wow 1998, the world’s largest international inbound marketplace, is coming to Chicago – literally to Wisconsin’s front door.
The Department intends to take full advantage of this opportunity starting with a booth at the trade show. In conjunction with Great Lakes of North America, the Department will host the German tour operator breakfast. The Department will also partner with American Airlines to co-host the Monday evening event at Navy Pier. For further information on other partnering opportunities at Pow Wow, please contact Beth Rammer at 608-261-6272 or brammer@tourism.state.wi.us.
The Department is also working to coordinate pre-and post- Pow Wow Familiarization tours.
Prior to Pow Wow, twenty-five top British travel executives will visit Wisconsin to participate in the annual Travel Trade Gazette/Virgin Atlantic Airways Golf Tournament. Event participants will play the best courses in Milwaukee, Kohler and Lake Geneva. The golf tournament will be combined with area sightseeing and product presentation to introduce these VIPs to Wisconsin and sell them on offering travel programs to our state.
Wisconsin will also host four of the twelve TIA official Post-Pow Wow Fam Tours. Top producing tour operators from around the world will be invited to participate in tours throughout the Great Lakes area. In Wisconsin, featured areas include Kenosha, Milwaukee, Kohler, Door County, Rhinelander, Bayfield, Madison, Ft .Atkinson and Lake Geneva.
Chicago Tribune to offer special Sesquicentennial insert
The Department is joining with the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Commission and the Chicago Tribune to create a special Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Insert in the Sunday, April 19 edition of the Tribune.
The insert will tell the story of Wisconsin’s Sesquicentennial celebration, including the state’s history and all the Sesquicentennial-related celebrations that will be taking place throughout 1998. The insert will reach the Tribune’s substantial readership throughout northern Illinois.
Prior to insert production, the Tribune will conduct a contest asking its readers to enter their favorite Wisconsin vacation memories. Winners will be announced in the April 19 section.
For Wisconsin tourism businesses and organizations interested in advertising in the insert, the Tribune is offering a greatly-reduced rate of $150 net/column inch, as well as added exposure on the Tribune Internet site at www.tribune.com.
For more information on this great opportunity, contact your Department of Tourism consultant; Diane Liebe at Laughlin/Constable, 414-270-7109; or Kathy Manista at the Chicago Tribune, 312-222-3998.
New WTIC Policies for Brochures & Video
The Department operates a terrific marketing network of twelve Wisconsin Travel Information Centers (WTICs) located along the state’s border, and in Madison and Chicago. Nearly 425,000 travelers visit these centers each year.
Tourism partners have the opportunity to submit videos and literature for display and distribution at these WTICs. Materials must first obtain approval from the Office of Customer Service. A new video approval policy and a revised literature approval policy stating the criteria for approval and the process for application are now available.
Please call the hot line number (608/261-8766) before March 1, 1998 to get copies of these polices by fax or mail. You may also access this information on the Department’s web site; visit http://tourism.state.wi.us/agency/ in the "Promoting Wisconsin Tourism" section under "Advertising". If you have further questions, please call Renea Dettman (608/267-7176), or Will Kuehn (608/266-5382).
SnowGoer readers prefer Wisconsin
For the fourth time in five years, readers of a top snowmobile magazine have voted Wisconsin’s Northwoods as the best all-around snowmobile spot in North America. The state also grabbed top honors in several individual categories in SnowGoer magazine’s seventh annual SnowTime Awards.
Other Wisconsin businesses receiving first-place awards were Decker’s Sno-Venture Tours, Eagle River, best snowmobile tour operator; the Whitetail Inn, St. Germain, best restaurant; and Lakewoods Resort, Cable, best resort or hotel. For the seventh straight year, Hurley was named the best area for nightlife.
The Northwoods captured second place as the best area catering to families and as the best trail riding area, and third place as the area readers were most likely to visit in the future. Second-place individual awards went to Blink Bonnie’s in St. Germain (best restaurant) and The Great Northern in Mercer (best resort or motel). The Thirsty Whale in Minocqua won honors as the best trailside pit stop, while Minocqua was honored in the nightlife category.
In naming Wisconsin’s Northwoods the best overall snowmobiling area, SnowGoer magazine specifically mentioned the region’s trails that weave through forests, hotels with more snowmobiles than cars and the draw of a juicy cheeseburger and a side of fried cheese curds.
The Northwoods edged Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the West Yellowstone area for the top award.
Wisconsin courts multi-cultural market
The Wisconsin Department of Tourism recently awarded several contracts as part of its ongoing multi-cultural marketing campaign. Under the direction of Laughlin/ Constable, several minority marketing vendors will work on a targeted program designed to encourage African Americans and Hispanics to travel in Wisconsin.
Nearly 3 million African Americans and Hispanics looking for travel and vacation opportunities live in Wisconsin’s traditional tourism markets. To tap these growing ethnic travel markets, the 1998 multi-cultural campaign targets these Midwestern minorities.
Campaign components in ’98 will include advertising buys and PR efforts in African American media and in a new Hispanic publication just entering the market. Additionally, the Department will fund an African American conversion research study.
In 1997, the first year of the multi-cultural program, the campaign initiated more than 7,000 calls from the targeted audience -- a strong indication of the program’s worth.
Lee Ann Merrill named Heritage Coordinator
Lee Ann Merrill has joined the Department as the new Heritage Tourism Coordinator. She began her duties on January 5, just in time for Wisconsin’s Sesquicentennial celebration.
Lee Ann is a newcomer to Wisconsin. She most recently lived in Gresham, Oregon and served as the executive director of the Gresham Downtown Development Association, a program similar to Wisconsin’s Main Street Program. Lee Ann also has great experience working with historic preservation organizations and historic sites in New York state. To top it off, she has a masters degree in history.
In her new position, Lee Ann will manage the Department’s Heritage Tourism grant program, oversee the program’s ten project sites including two new sites (see related story, this newsletter), coordinate the heritage sign program, and organize the Department’s annual Heritage Tourism conference. Lee Ann’s office phone number is 608/266-7299.
Scott Winger named IT system administrator
Scott Winger joined the Department's Office of Information Technology in January as System and Network Administrator. Scott is responsible for the Department’s computer servers and network capabilities. As such, he will make improvements to our Internet Web site including more direct connections to our database and more interactive applications.
Scott's previous experience includes very similar responsibility for the past ten years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He replaces Judy Heil, who moved on after nearly two years with Tourism to a new position as chief of technical services in the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Kickapoo Valley Reserve now one step closer to reality
On October 30, 1997 Governor Tommy Thompson and Ho-Chunk Nation President Jacob LoneTree signed a Memorandum of Understanding that moved the Kickapoo Valley Reserve one giant step closer to reality.
After decades of frustration for area residents over a federal dam project that was never built, the State of Wisconsin and the Ho-Chunk Nation have now agreed to jointly manage 8,569 acres of land between La Farge and Ontario in Vernon County, thereby creating the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.
In early 1999, the US Army Corps of Engineers is expected to transfer 1,200 acres of the Reserve to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Ho-Chunk Nation. The remaining 7,369 acres will be transferred to the State of Wisconsin. The entire Reserve will be managed by the Kickapoo Reserve Management Board; an attachment of the Department of Tourism.
The Reserve land follows the beautiful Kickapoo River for fourteen miles through carved rock outcroppings, productive farm fields and mature hardwood forest. By mutual agreement the land will "be preserved in it’s natural state and developed only to the extent necessary to enhance outdoor recreational and educational activities."
Following ownership transfer, the Kickapoo Valley Reserve will offer walking trails, canoeing, primitive camping, snowmobiling, hunting and other low-impact recreation. For more information contact: Kickapoo Valley Reserve, 505 N. Mill, La Farge, WI. 54639; phone 608-625-2960.
Briefly...
SESQUI GOES HOLLYWOOD: Mid-December marked the premiere of a Wisconsin Sesquicentennial promotion shown on nearly 300 Marcus Theater screens throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. The 60-second promotional spot highlights Wisconsin’s history, scenery and people. It also invites viewers to join in the 1998 celebration. Initially, the promo will run through mid-January. Additional screenings are expected in the spring and summer of 1998. It may also air as a public service announcement on Wisconsin television stations.
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WE MADE TWO MILLION: In November, the Department printed 2 million Sesquicentennial Samplers, an 8-page, full-color booklet inserted in Midwest Living magazine. A limited supply of the sampler is now being made available to Wisconsin tourism organizations. The sampler features more than fifty Sesquicentennial events occurring in 1998 across Wisconsin. To order your supply, contact Will Kuehn at 608/266-5382; or via e-mail at wkuehn@tourism.state.wi.us.
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YAP GAP CLOSING: The Department’s Youth Apprenticeship Program (YAP) is making some significant strides in southwestern Wisconsin. Working with CESA 3 in that area, the program is piloting the first ever business-taught YAP curriculum. Five expert instructors from the area’s tourism industry have agreed to teach courses that will begin this month. Their expertise can only enhance this unique learning experience for high school students.
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HOTLINE, SHMOTLINE: In our last edition, we printed a Tourism Hotline telephone number for those interested in job opportunities within the Department of Tourism. That number, to our continuing chagrin, turned out to belong to a very nice woman in the Department of Revenue. So, don’t call that number – call this one instead: 608/261-8770.
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NTA & ABA LEADS: Beth Rammer, the Department’s International Marketing Guru, recently attended the National Tour Association Marketplace and the American Bus Association Marketplace selling Wisconsin as a great place to visit. These two shows target the group and motorcoach markets throughout the United States and Canada. Leads from these shows are now available and can be obtained from any of the Tourism Development Consultants; or by contacting Brian Gross at 608-266-6755, or bgross@tourism.state.wi.us.
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THE POSTMAN COMETH: In mid-November the Department sent out 250,000 postcards to people in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana inviting them to order our winter publications. The postcards were sent to those who had previously ordered winter information and to new customers in our database for 1996-1997. Response thus far has been excellent at 25,000, a heart-warming ten percent.
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CONGRATULATIONS, BILL: Our congratulations to Bill Otto, elected as the 1998 Chairman of the Board of the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association. Bill is the senior vice president of operations of Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of the Marcus Corporation. Bill is also a member of the Governor’s Council on Tourism and a board member of the Greater Milwaukee CVB.
