2001 has been a year of challenge for the travel and tourism industry. Hampered by a weakened economy and the ripple effects of terrorism, many organizations are only now beginning to return to normal levels of business. As we move into the new year, marketers looking to get their companies back on track should take stock of the following travel trends as they develop their 2002 plans.

Leisure travelers are coming back more quickly. According to a recent survey by the Travel Industry Association (TIA) most Americans are still planning near-term leisure travel, with almost 60 percent planning a trip in the next six months.

While there were many cancellations in September and October, holiday bookings remain strong and most indicators suggest that consumers want to travel. Business travelers, on the other hand, do not appear to be coming back into the market as quickly. While most are willing to travel, many companies were significantly cutting back on travel budgets even before September 11 and have cut back even further since. Until this trend reverses, it is advisable for most industry marketers to concentrate their efforts on leisure travelers.

Stick to traditional marketing plans to find customers. In times of uncertainty, customers seek a sense of normalcy and familiarity. This is the time for successful marketers to focus on their core business and core customers, rather than experimenting with new markets and market segments. Relationships are more important now than ever, and businesses closely connected to their customers will succeed. Direct mail, e-mail and other targeted, personalized communications should bring results.

Spontaneous, weekend travel is more popular than ever. According to TIA, the number of travelers taking day- and weekend trips is steadily increasing, while the number taking trips longer than one week is decreasing. Forty-two percent of weekend travelers describe their planning as "last minute," selecting a destination within two weeks of their trip. Additionally, 30 percent took advantage of coupons, discounts or special promotions. The implications? Make sure your message is in front of potential travelers, your Website is user-friendly and content-rich, and your telephone operators are knowledgeable and ready to close the sale.

Internet usage is way up. Two-thirds of travelers who have online access use the Internet for travel planning. Of these, 27 percent booked rooms online during 2000 – a 60 percent increase from 1999. Obviously, Web sites are more important than ever for travel and tourism organizations. Make sure yours is easy to find, easy to navigate and informative.

Focus on drive-in vacationers. Although all forms of travel declined in the wake of September 11, auto travel is expected to come back more quickly and even increase due to fears of flying, reduced gas prices and renewed interest in closer-to-home and family travel.

Don’t forget the motorcoach market. While 90 percent of tour operators had cancellations in the weeks after September 11, only two percent report cancellations for 2002. According to the National

Tour Association, there is a renewed interest in motorcoach touring, with historic and cultural tours showing particular strength. Don’t forget to market to motorcoach operators, particularly if you are in an area of historic or cultural significance.

Click here to view the Department's Strategic Marketing Plan  

Travel Tracker will appear as a featured article in Tourism Today and Marketour, and as a monthly electronic bulletin. To subscribe to the e-bulletins,go to http://agency.travelwisconsin.com/subscribe.

The economic impact of snowmobiling expenditures during the 2000-2001 season totaled almost $249.5 million. The Department of Tourism, with the assistance of the Department of Natural Resources, surveyed 1,359 snowmobilers who registered a snowmobile or purchased a snowmobile pass from January-April, 2001. These surveys helped determine the economic impact snowmobilers have on Wisconsin’s economy. These figures relate only to the recreational expenditures made by snowmobilers.

• During the 2000-2001 snowmobiling season, 222,447 Wisconsin residents and 73,963 non-residents registered snowmobiles in the state. In addition, 59,623 non-residents purchased a Wisconsin snowmobile pass.

• Traveling snowmobilers include Wisconsin residents who traveled outside their local area as well as non-residents. Wisconsin residents who snowmobiled outside their local area, on average, snowmobiled two days per month compared to non-residents who snowmobiled six days per month.

• Wisconsin residents accounted for 75 percent of the snowmobilers.

• Local snowmobilers typically had a party size of three people vs. traveling snowmobilers with four people.

• Out-of-state snowmobilers had the highest average party size with 5.7 people.

• Fourteen percent of the snowmobiling parties had children under the age of 13 in their group.

• The average age of the snowmobiler was 34.

• Fifty-two percent of snowmobile visitors stayed in unpaid accommodations while 38 percent stayed in paid lodgings. The remaining visitors were day trippers.

• The average number of nights traveling snowmobilers spent away from home was three.

• Overnight visitors were just as likely to stay at a hotel/motel/resort (32 percent) as they were at a vacation home/cabin/condominium that they own (32 percent).

Per Day/Per Snowmobiler Expenditure:

Electronic commerce has been in the forefront of computer news since the Internet’s creation. E-commerce is the selling and buying of good and services on the Internet. Originally just an industry buzz word, e-commerce has quickly moved from the fringes of American business to its mainstream. But what makes an e-commerce site a cyberstar rather than a black hole?

First of all, for an e-commerce endeavor to be successful, it must be an integrated part of an organization’s overall marketing plan. "An e-commerce Web site is not a stand-alone entity," notes site developer Dan Early of Ascedia. "Customers need to be driven to the site and given a reason to try the service. We encourage clients to include their Web site address in advertisements, print it on store receipts and add online components to their promotions."

Secondly, e-commerce sites must address the issues of security and privacy. "Customers want to be assured that their personal information, as well as their money, is secure," notes Early. "Take the time to investigate and invest in proper secure transaction technologies for your online stores." Early also suggests "e-tailers" provide customers with a clear-cut privacy policy, and stick to it. Few things irritate customers more than giving out supposedly confidential information, and then being bombarded with junk mail.

Finally, it is important to remember that despite growing public confidence in e-commerce, many customers still prefer to make sales transactions in person or over the phone. "Always give customers an offline route to purchase your products and service," says Early. "Customers have the ultimate power over when and how a purchase is made, so the more avenues they have at their disposal, the better your chances of closing the sale."

As broadband and computer technology become more widespread, e-commerce will continue to grow. If planned and executed with the customer’s needs in mind, an e-commerce site can help even the smallest company take a giant leap forward.

Two of the Midwest’s largest magazines are looking for story ideas and information this month.

The official magazine of AAA, Home & Away, is adding a new department to highlight American destinations that reflect the country’s patriotic pride. The department will be adding a "Patriotic Places" section on to the homeandaway magazine.com Web site, and is looking for information on destinations and attractions throughout the country. Information can be sent to Editor Brian Nicol via e-mail at editorial@homeandawaymagazine.com or 10703 J Street, Omaha, NE 68127.

Midwest Living is looking for what’s new in Wisconsin for 2002. Associate Editor Don McLeese is interested in new attractions and events for possible inclusion in their 2002 editorial schedule. Send press releases and information to

Mr. McLeese at Midwest Living magazine,

1912 Grand Avenue,

Des Moines, Iowa 50309

or via e-mail at dmcleese@mdp.com.

Wisconsin’s natural beauty and brilliant fall colors have been the subject of magazines throughout the country during September and October.

Writer Kris Radish headed out for an island escape and explored the fall color on Washington Island in the October issue of Midwest Living. Area highlights included the Washington Hotel Restaurant, Maritime Museum, Sunset Resort and the Norwegian Stave Church.

Use over in phrases that describe spatial relationships.

Examples: The helicopter flew over the island. The bridge took us over the river.

Use more than in phrases that involve numerical quantities.

Examples: Ticket prices increased more than 50 percent. We traveled more than 300 miles that weekend.