An occasional e-newsletter from the Governor's Council on Tourism and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism
May 3, 2005
In this Issue:
Addition of Latitude Shows the Right Attitude
E-Z Marketing Tip of the Month
Addition of Latitude Shows The Right Attitude
Over three quarters of the 13,000 entries on Wisconsin's tourism web site, travelwisconsin.com, now list latitude and longitude along with the usual mailing address for each property. More addresses are being updated daily.
Such "geocoding" is helpful to the increasing number of travelers who use global positioning systems (GPS), either the portable hand-held units or the in-car navigation systems.
Wisconsin joins only a few states who are incorporating so-called "waypoint coordinates" into their web sites, thus providing travelers with a new convenience as well as offering the potential to participate in new travel activities like "geocaching"...a kind of high-tech scavenger hunt.
"Driving vacations should not be vulnerable to recent gasoline price increases," opines travel industry analyst James Cammisa in his monthly report, confirming what most of us suspect about this year's average $2.30 per gallon prices.
In his Travel Industry Indicators report, Cammisa suggests that "while the media will try to make this a big news story by seeking out families who postponed vacations or are staying close to home," history teaches that only fuel scarcity, gas supply interuptions and a fear of being stranded will prompt drivers to cancel or delay trips. Gas prices alone will not.
He reports, correctly, that any increase in this year's vacation drive cost is minor in absolute dollar terms. For example, an 800 mile round trip from Chicago to Hurley (800 miles divided by an average 22 miles per gallon, multiplied by a gas price 45 cents higher than last year) will cost only about $16 more than in 2004.
"Leisure travel prospects in the months ahead will not, in our opinion, be dampened by these oil price issues," Cammisa concludes.
Business Week magazine reported last week that the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors lost 48,000 jobs nationwide over the past year (data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March, 2004 to March, 2005).
"Americans seem to be more interested in listening to their iPods, browsing the Internet, and enjoying their big-screen TVs than in plahying golf or going to live performances," said the magazine in an attempt to explain the jobs drop. "Even casino employment is lower than it was a year ago."
30,900 jobs were lost in the recreation, gambling and amusements sector; 15,300 jobs are gone from the performing arts and spectator sports; and 1,900 workers were let go from historical sites, zoos, museums and parks.
The Travel Industry Association (TIA) reports that the number of travelers here from overseas grew by 12% in 2004 to over 46 million international arrivals. The increase was encouraging, but not enough to top the record number of over 51 million visitors to the U.S. in 2000.
"We should be doing better than we are, based on the sale the U.S. is having," said TIA President and CEO Roger Dow. Dow cited the weak dollar as a main reason for higher travel numbers from abroad, but mentioned the battered U.S. image overseas, tighter security regulations and under-funded marketing efforts as reasons why more travelers are not coming here from other countries.
Jay Rasulo, President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts was quoted as saying "As a country, we simply have not been out there promoting the U.S. the way that countries like Australia, New Zealand, and even Jamaica and Aruba are."
This year's Disney Keys To Excellence seminar is coming soon. Tuesday, May 10 at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton.
You've all heard about this remarkable professional development program offered by the folks who run Disney, and there are a limited number of seats left for the only Wisconsin session this year.
The full day of four modules costs $379 with lunch included. Or, you can pick and choose among individual modules on Leadership; Management; Service; and Loyalty...Disney Style...for $99 each. Register at www.wigcot.org.
Here's a little reminder about the advantage of using the Department of Tourism's co-op advertising program which allows Wisconsin travel businesses and organizations that run their newspaper and magazine ads under the Wisconsin banner to get the low price 52-week frequency rate at dozens of publications.
Here's a good example: Let's say you want to run an ad in the St. Paul Pioneer Press Sunday Travel section. Recently, the paper sweetened the deal by adding exposure in the Sunday "Great Outdoors" as well as in the Thursday "Weekend Life" sections. The cost would be $103.23 per column inch under the Wisconsin banner.
Standing alone, your ad would cost $162.12 per inch for the same placements, so you save 36% by using the banner option! Contact Stephanie Fox (414-271-0101) for more information about the co-op program.
This Month's E-Z Marketing Tip
Stolen directly from Kari Sliva at the Green Bay Area Visitor and Convention Bureau:
How many e-mails do you and the employees at your organization send out daily? 5...50...250? I'll bet it adds up.
Kari has developed an e-mail template that automatically includes an "Events This Week" listing at the bottom of each outgoing e-mail, right after her name and contact information. Just a short little list of what's up this week.
Pretty cool, huh? Why not let everyone who gets an e-mail from you or your organization today know what's going on in your community this week...or this month? It's another easy and free way to promote your concerts, events, festivals or promotions.
Renea Dettman is leaving her job as Director of Information Technology at the Department of Tourism for a position as Chief Service Brain at eBrains, a national on-line marketing corporation.
The Marcus Corporation's Allen Anderson has left his position as Director of Marketing at the Grand Geneva for a new challenge as Senior V.P. of Marketing for Ocean Hammock Resort in Palm Coast, Florida.
Lou Schneider has left his post as Executive Director of Economic Development and Tourism for Washburn County. Lou will be helping manage Burns Best, an area biomass furnace manufacturing company.
June Brandow has retired from her job as Sales Director at Fireside Dinner Theatre in Fort Atkinson. Succeeding June is Jackie Brisko, formerly Group Tour Manager and Volunteer Coordinator at the Racine County CVB.
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Thursday, May 19. Joint Effort Marketing Committee. 2:00. Tourism Office. Madison. Thursday, May 26. Meetings and Conventions Committee. Noon – 2:00p.m. Tourism Office. Madison. Wednesday, June 15. Marketing Committee. 10:00a.m. – Noon. Followed by Governor's Council on Tourism. Noon – 3:00p.m. Tourism Office. Madison. |