An occasional e-newsletter from the Governor's Council on Tourism and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism
June 21, 2004
In this Issue:
B+L Chosen As Agency of Record
The Department is pleased to announce that Boelter+Lincoln, the Milwaukee and Madison advertising and public relations firm, was selected recently by a team of evaluators to be the state's agency of record for both tourism advertising and public relations services.
The selection followed a rigorous, statutorily required bid process,
which saw 10 ad agencies and 12 p.r. firms compete for the state's business.
For the first time, advertising and public relations proposals were requested
separately. The contract is for one year, with the possibility of four
annual extensions.
The RVs Are Coming, The RVs Are Coming!
Our general survey lodging questions over the past couple of years have revealed an unmistakable trend in the growing use of recreational vehicles for leisure travel.
The trend is confirmed by news from the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association which forecasts a nearly 8% increase in deliveries of the vehicles this year…to 347,000 units…an industry record. The Association also says the number of RV-owning households will rise by 15% this decade, with the quickest growth coming in the 35 to 54 age group.
We don't know much about this growing market segment, so in order to learn we've printed up 30,000 surveys to be distributed at campgrounds and state parks through the end of October.
Our partnership with the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners and the state Department of Natural Resources should yield maybe 5,000 responses, which we can analyze in an effort to determine how to reach this growing segment of the traveling public. Look for study results at the 2005 Governor's Conference.
In the meantime, we're developing a section of our web site, which will
appeal to RVers, and we've printed a new brochure, which notes the location
of RV waste handling locations around the state. It's not an exhaustive
list, but a good representative sample. If you'd like copies, call Will
Kuehn at 608-266-5382.
Trains and Boats and Bikes and Planes
By happy coincidence the Department has been able to participate in marketing several "alternative" forms of transportation to Wisconsin this summer and fall.
For pilots, we've got a new brochure called Travel Wisconsin By Air. This colorful publication introduces pilots to 20 Wisconsin airports and their nearby communities.
Packed with information on destinations, attractions, websites and phone numbers the brochure offers a tantalizing "sampler" to visitors who arrive here by air.
Want a few copies of this classic John Cronin creation for your office or airport? Call Will Kuehn at 266-5382 before the end of July when we'll hand out all remaining copies at the EAA AirVenture.
Western Michigan wouldn't seem to be a very productive market for a "travel Wisconsin" message…but that was before the launch of the Lake Express. The Department has been working with Milwaukee's new high speed ferry service on a radio campaign in Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Holland, MI.
The new ferry service has had a warm and enthusiastic response on both sides of the lake with folks in Muskegon particularly grateful for the return (after 30 years) of cross lake transportation.
Our support for the Milwaukee to Muskegon service is in addition to marketing support we already provide to the S.S. Badger…the state's other car ferry service between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI.
AMTRACK is having a birthday…the big 7 - 5…and to mark the occasion we're working with Trails Publications (the Wisconsin Trails Magazine folks) on a special fall color promotion which will allow train passengers traveling between Chicago and Minneapolis (or vice versa) the option of stopping in any of several Wisconsin communities like Milwaukee, the Dells, LaCrosse, etc. and staying for as long as they like before reboarding and riding to another stop or to their final destination. A one-way ticket with the unlimited stop and stay feature will cost only $75.
Finally, the 5th edition of the Wisconsin Biking Guide is now available for distribution. The Guide features fifteen new trails and tours…five on-road, five off-road (gravel or blacktop), and five for mountain bikes. These fifteen join another fifteen from the last edition for a total of thirty rides. The bicycle publication is one of our most popular so call to order yours now.
By the way, travelwisconsin.com features 60 bike trail tours for those
who'd like to get their biking info online.
Have You Heard?
Kim Swisher is the new Executive Director of the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce. She arrives in West Bend from Tomahawk where she had been Chamber Director for several years. Succeeding Kim in Tomahawk is Christine Brown who returns to Wisconsin from Vermont where she had directed a coalition of health care organizations.
Diane Walder, Communications Director for the Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation, is leaving that post to run her own communications and public relations company. Kay Collins, former Group Tour Manager with the Milwaukee CVB, has accepted the position of Director of Sales for the Lake Express Ferry in Milwaukee. Holly Henry is the new Executive Director of the Cable Chamber of Commerce. Holly was previously with Murphy - McGinnis Media in Hayward.
May Ibe, Convention Sales Director for the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, received the Team Member of the Year award from the Wisconsin Chapter of Meeting Professionals International. Pat Kytola will be managing a diversification planning grant for the Scenic St. Croix Alliance's Rivers, Rails and Trails heritage tourism project. Pat is the former Executive Director of the St. Croix Falls Chamber.
Pete Schueppert and Karen Treml have joined the Fox Cities CVB. Pete is the new Sports Sales Manager and was previously with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball club. Karen is the new part time Office Assistant.
Ellsworth Brown is the new Director of the Wisconsin Historical
Society. He formerly served as President of the Carnegie Museum Library
in Pittsburgh, PA.
Department Meetings:
June 28. Professional Development Committee. 2:00 - 4:00p.m. Tourism
Office. Madison.
