TOURISM TODAY

November/December 1999

2000 Governor's Conference on Tourism

The 2000 Governor's Conference on Tourism, March 19-21 in Milwaukee, will focus on the three topics found in the conference theme - Preserve, Promote & Partner - The Future of Tourism. Each session will highlight the importance of:

- Preserving Wisconsin's natural and cultural resources to safeguard our tourism product while also protecting our environment and history for the benefit of future generations.

- Promoting Wisconsin's tourism product to increase our market share while also encouraging responsible and sustainable tourism.

- Partnering to further expand our marketing efforts and to present a strong and unified hospitality industry.

Other conference highlights include an expanded agenda offering additional sessions. The 2000 conference will offer nine breakout sessions allowing participants to select three sessions per day within four tracks: leisure travel & marketing, meetings & conventions, special events and cultural tourism.

In addition, there will be a special track for executive level sales and marketing representatives. This eight-hour session will take the place of other breakout sessions.

Other traditional conference favorites include the opening reception, a Governor's Council on Tourism meeting, the Department of Tourism Showcase, the Information Marketplace and Taste of Wisconsin and the grand finale - the Governor's Reception and Dinner.

Watch your mail for pre-conference information in November and conference registration forms in December. If you have questions or would like to be on the mailing list, contact Dawn Aspenson, Director of Special Events, at 608/266-3978 or daspenson@tourism.state.wi.us.

Sponsor a Student

You can offer our future workforce priceless information, networking opportunities and a chance to experience the tourism business, by sponsoring a student at the Governor's Conference on Tourism through the Tourism Career Initiative Award Program.

The "Sponsor a Student" program aims to get the industry involved and increase student participation by partnering industry leaders with students attending the conference.

You can sponsor a student for $150, which covers registration and a portion of overnight accommodations. For more information on the program, contact Jackie Hepler at 608/266-2147.

Interest High in Destination JEMs

Interest in Destination Marketing JEM grants ran high in September. Twenty applications were submitted for the third round of Destination Marketing JEM grants. In total, the Department awarded $180,000 to 12 applicants. The quality and creativity of the applications were outstanding. The deadline for the next round of Destination Marketing applications is April 1, 2000. For more information, contact your area consultant.

Promotional Dollars, School Start in Budget

The tourism industry has fared well in the 1999-2000 state budget signed into law by Governor Thompson on October 27.

Budget increase

The budget includes a $2.4 million increase in promotional funding for the Department of Tourism, providing $11.6 million each year for tourism marketing. The additional funding will enable the state to build upon its seasonal and niche marketing campaigns and increase Joint Effort Marking grant funding, making more than $1 million available in grants each year. The new funding will also allow the Department to open a travel information center in the Mall of America. Several legislative spending requirements included in the package direct approximately $400,000 to various specific projects and organizations over the biennium.

School Start Date

Also included in the budget bill is the inclusion of a September 1 school start date requirement. The bill requires public schools to begin the academic year no earlier than September 1, beginning in 2000. A provision allows school districts to opt-out of the requirement by holding annual public hearings to adopt a resolution to begin classes earlier. In his veto message Governor Thompson indicated he will seek future compromise on the issue.

Briefly

Industry kudos: ABA - The American Bus Association has named three Wisconsin events among it's Top 100 Events in North America for 2000. The Great Wisconsin Dells Balloon Rally, Milwaukee's German Fest and Monroe's Cheese Days have been awarded the prestigious recognition. WMRPC - The Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission has been named the best state commission by the National Mississippi River Parkway Commission (NMRPC). According to the NMRPC, the Wisconsin commission was chosen because of its efforts to promote and maintain the Great River Road, efforts which are far ahead of other states.

Welcome aboard: Linda Anderson joined the Department in October and spent her first days as the Bureau of Media and Industry Services program assistant on the Department's FAM tour. Linda will be handling the content of the calendar of events and industry contact databases, and assisting the consultants, PR, and heritage tourism staff. She worked previously for the Dept. of Revenue. You may contact Linda at 608/261-8212 or landerson@tourism.state.wi.us.

It's snow time: Word around town is we are in for a snowy winter. To keep the media and travelers alert to anticipated snowfalls, the Department will again offer weekly snow condition reports to travelers at 800/432-TRIP or travelwisconsin.com. The updates are also distributed to the media for use during weather reports.
Thanks to the industry contacts who report on the falling snow. If you do not participate in the snow condition report and would like your area information included, please contact Suzie Meyer at 414/271-0101 or suzie@milw.advbl.com. This information is a great way to get extra exposure for your community.

WACVB Fall Conference - Nov. 15 & 16: Don't miss the 6th annual Wisconsin Fall Conference at the Wausau Ramada Inn Conference Center, Nov. 16 & 17 sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. The conference will address tourism preparation for the next century. For more information and registration materials contact WACVB at 877/967-9674.

Co-Op advertising: The Department has sent out a new and expanded co-op advertising opportunities book. The book features advertising opportunities through the year 2000 and includes new newspaper and magazine program additions. If you have not received your copy, please contact your area consultant.

Tour Operator Leads Available: Interested in marketing your area to group tour operators? If so, let us help. The Department makes available all the leads generated from contacts made at NTA and ABA annual marketplaces. Upcoming opportunities to meet tour operators include the National Tour Association conference November 7-12 and the American Bus Association conference December 5-9. Acquired leads will be compiled and available after December 15 by contacting Kathy Coburn at 608/266-6755.

State Parks Celebrate a Century Anniversary

The Department of Tourism and the Department of Natural Resources are partnering to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Wisconsin State Parks in 2000. A January 13 event at the State Capitol in Madison will kick off the yearlong celebration and commemorate the state parks system.

Projects to help promote the milestone include media kits, special promotions, a commemorative poster, and full-page ads in the Innkeepers and Association of Tourism Attractions annual guides. In addition, the 2000 State Parks Visitors Guide will have a centennial focus, each month a park will be featured on the Department's Web site, state park images will be integrated into the Department's general advertising campaigns and the topic of the 2000 Fourth Grade Packet will be Wisconsin State Parks.

Millennium Tree Tours State

The Millennium Tree, a 70-foot white spruce from Wisconsin's northwoods, will tour the state Nov. 13-26 making special stops at local events and parades on its way to Washington DC, where it will serve as the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

The Millennium Tree stops in Crandon, Rhinelander, Lac du Flambeau, Park Falls, Hayward, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Sparta, Warrens, Elroy, Tomah, Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, Wausau, Wautoma, Marshfield, Shawno, Suring, Mayville, Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, Cudahy, Kenosha, Winneconne, Appleton, Green Bay, Plymouth, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva, Janesville and Beloit. The tree departs Nov. 27 from the Amtrak station in Milwaukee. For details visit www.millenniumtree.org.

To raise awareness of Wisconsin as a top meeting and convention destination and attract additional business to the state, the Department of Tourism, the Greater Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau are hosting a Washington reception in conjunction with the Millennium Tree lighting on Dec. 9.

Speros named to TIA Board

Sec. Speros has been named to the Travel Industry Association of American (TIA) Board of Directors. Appointed by the Great Lakes of North America to represent the organization on the TIA board, Sec. Speros will serve a one-year term. TIA is a non-profit association that serves as the unifying organization for all components of the U.S. travel industry. The TIA Board of Directors determines policy, approves and monitors an annual operating budget, and evaluates and pursues objectives. It is responsible for providing guidance and direction to the work of its committees, councils and task forces.

WTICs Looking for Displays and Exhibits

The Wisconsin Travel Information Centers' (WTICs) display/exhibit program offers non-profit industry partners the opportunity to showcase and promote events, attractions or destinations on site at the WTICs. Displays can be featured in a single WTIC, rotated between regional WTICs or routed to all WTICs for a year-long run. More than one million travelers visit the WTICs each year providing great exposure for your area. Contact your area consultant or Beth Salzwedel at 608/266-1513 for additional information.

WTIC - Superior Ccelebrates Grand Opening

Sec. Speros joined representatives of the Department of Transportation, Superior tourism officials and businesses for the grand opening of the WTIC - Superior on Oct 4. Open at its new location at Rest Area 23 on Highway 53 & 2 since September 1, the WTIC has already experienced a 25-50% increase in visitors over the same period last year.
Thanks to all those participating with assistance and renovations to the facility.

Sykes Named Multi-cultural Ad Agency

Sykes Advertising and Public Relations of Milwaukee has been named the new multi-cultural agency for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism to cover all public relations and advertising activities for the African American, Hispanic and Asian American markets. The contract, effective July 1, 1999, will run for one year with the option of four additional annual renewals. Initial projects includes updating the African American guide and developing and distributing a winter media kit.

Tourism Promotes Snowmobile Safety

The Department of Tourism is teaming up with the Governor's Council on Snowmobiling, the Department of Natural Resources and Polaris Industries to get out an important safety message to snowmobile enthusiasts. More than 300,000 snowmobile safety brochures will be distributed this winter to snowmobile registrants and at locations where snowmobile licenses are sold. The brochure will inform snowmobilers of the dangers of speeding, thin ice and operating while intoxicated, as well as point out important safe operating procedures.

The brochure will also send a message that Wisconsin would not have 22,000 miles of top-notch snowmobile trails without thousands of volunteers and landowners. In order to maintain the quality trail system, we need to respect those who maintain the trails and those who allow snowmobilers to use their land.

Governor's Council on Tourism Member Highlight: Bill Otto

Like many on the Governor's Council on Tourism, Bill Otto began his tourism career in his teens. Working at a Milwaukee drive-in restaurant, he found an aptitude for the business and moved on to jobs with Gimbels Catering, Holiday Inns and Ramada Inns.

After graduating from UW-Stout's Hotel and Restaurant Management program, Bill joined the Hyatt Corporation in Chicago and later, Stouffer Hotels and Restaurants.

In 1993, Bill returned to Milwaukee and signed on with the Marcus Corporation. Now, as the company's senior vice president and chief operating officer, Bill supervises the company's nine full-service hotels and resorts including the new Hilton Madison Monona Terrace Conference and Convention Center scheduled to open in early 2001.

Bill's experience with Marcus, and the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association, led to his 1997 Governor's Council appointment. He serves currently on the council's Leisure Marketing and Joint Effort Marketing committees, and is also board chairman of the Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"As a member of the Governor's Council, it is a challenge to strike a balance between being a steward of Wisconsin's natural resources and advocating for development," Otto said. "Certainly, we must first promote Wisconsin's inherent attributes, but we must also ensure that there are new attractions, for without new demand generators, it becomes increasingly difficult to attract new visitors."

Bill considers the state's tourism workforce shortage a significant industry challenge as well. "This is one of our biggest issues," he said. "As such, it is incumbent upon us all to become actively involved in initiatives aimed at developing a strong, skilled labor pool."

This is the seventh of a continuing series highlighting Governor's Council on Tourism members.

Department Sets Its Course for Another Two Years

The Department recently updated its strategic business and marketing plans in conjunction with the passage of the 2000-2001 biennial budget.
The Department and the Governor's Council on Tourism met for a two-day planning session in Green Lake to take a look at past plans and discuss the future direction of the Department and council.

With input from the council, the Department instituted the following mission and vision statement: The Department uses the strategic business and marketing plans as guides when making marketing, industry relations, legislative and other business decisions.

If you would like a copy of the plans, contact Linda Anderson at 608/261-8212. The plans is also available online.

WTIC - Superior celebrates grand opening

Sec. Speros joined representatives of the Department of Transportation, Superior tourism officials and businesses for the grand opening of the WTIC - Superior on Oct 4. Open at its new location at Rest Area 23 on Highway 53 & 2 since September 1, the WTIC has already experienced a 25-50% increase in visitors over the same period last year. Thanks to all those participating with assistance and renovations to the facility.

Sykes Named Multi-cultural Ad Agency

Sykes Advertising and Public Relations of Milwaukee has been named the new multi-cultural agency for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism to cover all public relations and advertising activities for the African American, Hispanic and Asian American markets. The contract, effective July 1, 1999, will run for one year with the option of four additional annual renewals. Initial projects includes updating the African American guide and developing and distributing a winter media kit.

Department of Tourism Job Opportunities

JEM Administrator - The JEM administrator oversees the Joint Effort Marketing program. Duties include monitoring applications and working with JEM applicants, the Governor's Council on Tourism's JEM review committee, and Department staff.

Public Relations Assistant - The Public Relations assistant duties include writing and editing news releases and speeches, managing and broadcasting the weekly radio events program, Web site publishing and assisting in all aspects of the Department's public relations activities.

Call 608/261-8766 for more information.