Signed, Sealed and Delivered: More Cash For Tourism Promotion

Governor Doyle inked Wisconsin's 2006-'07 budget on July 25, including a 21% increase in tourism marketing funds. The Governor showed his support for the travel industry by first proposing, and then signing the first tourism budget increase in six years and by recommending that revenue for the increase come from the state's car rental fee.

The increase totals $3.8 million over the next two years and tentative plans will result in distribution of the first $1.6 million this fiscal year in the following ways (amounts are approximate):

*$700,000 more to support the Department's ongoing "Life's So Good" advertising campaign using print and electronic media mostly in the Chicago and Minneapolis markets.

*Over $300,000 to support e-marketing initiatives including design modifications to travelwisconsin.com.

*220,000 more to the Joint Effort Marketing grant program.

*$200,000 for "Ready, Set, Go!"…a new grant program which localities may use to offset the cost of bid fees and other expenses to attract sporting events from out of state.

*$200,000 for expanding the Wisconsin marketing message into Michigan, which is a new market for the state.

*$85,000 to more than double the state's commitment to attracting meeting and convention business.

*The Department will add about a half dozen new sport and travel shows to its annual trade show schedule, including shows in two new states…Michigan and Iowa.

*The Department will retain a national-level public relations firm (DCI) to deliver new out-of-state public relations contacts, mostly in major American cities.

Most of the decisions regarding the additional marketing investments listed above were made based on advice from the Governor's Council on Tourism and the standing committees as well as industry partners.

Note that none of the increased budget appropriation will be used for staff or Department overhead. The Governor specifically directed that all increased funding be allocated to marketing initiatives and local grant programs.

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Be Careful Out There

A Wisconsin woman who rents out a vacation home in Columbia County called with this recent experience:

A "Dr. John Gibson", ostensibly from London, e-mailed the woman's vacation home website to reserve the property for three weeks in late August and early September for 8 to 10 "delegates" purportedly attending a conference in Wisconsin. His message indicated the group was displeased with previously booked accommodations and wanted something a little more homey.

The message went on to indicate that, unfortunately, all "delegates" had paid in advance and the group had already made out a Certified Bank Check for $22,000 which would have covered not only the previously booked, but now apparently cancelled, rooms at another location but rental cars for the trip as well. The cost of the Wisconsin vacation home, without rental cars, would amount to only about half that amount.

"Dr. Gibson" suggested that, when the certified check arrived, the woman should immediately refund the $9,424.45 difference between the $22,000 advance and the $12,575.55 which her vacation home would be renting for, using a personal or business check of her own.

This type of scam has been reported by lodging properties in several states recently. Typically, all contact will be made by e-mail and, of course, the "certified" check is counterfeit…if it arrives at all. Other similarities include: the contact usually comes from overseas, and the reservations typically include lots of specific information like names, arrival dates, and other "facts" to make the proposed transaction seem more legitimate. Punctuation and spelling errors seem common.

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Doesn't This Sound Better?

The Department is taking a couple of steps to improve visitation at our 10 Wisconsin Travel Information Centers. We've not previously done much to market the services which our Centers provide…but that's about to change.

First, a name change, to "Wisconsin Welcome Centers".

Next, as part of the Department's marketing campaign, we'll begin offering specific encouragement for travelers to visit the Centers. We've never included much information about the Centers before in our print ads, on the web site, in fulfillment packets or any other way. We just kind of figured travelers would stop in if they felt like it.

In the future, we'll be proactively inviting travelers to visit the Centers which are located at our state borders, and we'll be suggesting as well that most communities in Wisconsin have active welcome centers which should merit visitors' attention.

Most of you know, but some may not, that all Wisconsin Welcome Centers have display space available to communities, organizations or events. We hope you'll consider providing a display at the Welcome Center nearest you sometime during the coming year. It's a good way to promote your local events or themes, and it makes our Welcome Centers more interesting places.

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The state's tourism industry was saddened last week by the death of Cal Worrell, long time General Manager and CEO of Madison's Concourse Hotel.

John Kuehl is the new Information Technology and Customer Services Bureau Director here at the Department of Tourism. John succeeds Renea Dettman who is now working for E-brains, an I.T. services company.

Chris Hanson is the new Executive Director of the Tomah Chamber of Commerce. Chris was previously Senior Advertising Consultant with Trails Media and Wisconsin Trails. He succeeds Eric Prise who is now Marketing Director at Tomah Memorial Hospital.

Betsy Ailes is the new Director of the Manitowoc-Two Rivers Chamber of Commerce. Betsy was previously Development Director at the Michigan Land Use Institute and succeeds David Ressler who was hired as Director of the Custer, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce.

Doreen Anderson has left her position as Tourism Director for the Superior – Douglas County Chamber of Commerce.

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