Tourism Industry News - Travewisconsin.com

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December 2012

Stephanie Klett
Department Secretary
608.266.2345
sklett@travelwisconsin.com

The big news this month is the grand opening of the Menomonie Area Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center. This center was two years in the making and required the commitment of not one but four area tourism partners: Visit Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau and the Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. It took all four communities coming together to get this center back on the map and serving travelers on this important corridor between the Twin Cities and Wisconsin. The ribbon-cutting event with Governor Walker, Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, Representatives John Murtha, Warren Petryk and Tom Larson, and DOT Deputy Mike Berg was a smash success and the new center was filled to capacity with appreciative tourism partners and area businesses.

This fall, our leadership team met to review and update the Department's Strategic Business Plan. The plan represents input from the entire staff and highlights our priorities for the next year and beyond. The goals we set for our work are also measurable. On the last page are revised benchmarks to measure our success. At the March tourism conference, we will provide an annual report that summarizes our work and accomplishments for 2012.

The Big Bundle Up is going strong around the state and I can't thank everyone enough for your support and promotion of this worthwhile initiative. The impact has been far-reaching. Not only has Wisconsin Knitwear donated 500 hats to the effort, ZooZatZ, a novelty hat company in the Twin Cities, is donating 1,500 cheesehead knit hats and 800 Badger earmuffs!

Finally, it's my great pleasure to announce that Molly Delaney is returning to the Department of Tourism. Many of you will remember Molly and join us in offering her a warm welcome as she settles into her former position as Executive Assistant to the Secretary's Office. If you are trying to reach me or Deputy Dave, or want to schedule an event with us, Molly is the friendly voice on the other end of the phone that can help you. Reach her at mdelaney@travelwisconsin.com or 608-266-2345.

The approach of the New Year has reminded us that Deputy Dave and I are entering our third year with the Department! It has flown by and year three is shaping up to be another big one as budget discussions, new TV ads and much more are on the horizon. It has been our pleasure to serve the state's tourism industry, and I speak for all of Team Tourism, when I say that we look forward to our continued work on your behalf in 2013.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Tourism,

Like what you see in this month's Travel Wisconsin News? Share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Lola Roeh
Chair
Governor's Council on Tourism

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Council Perspectives

Dear Tourism Partners,

Business for the state's tourism industry appears to be robust for the holiday season, coinciding with the positive news about last month's Black Friday retail sales. We are still seeing lots of last minute bookings in the lodging industry but all signs point to a promising finish for the end of the year.

As 2012 comes to a close, I'd like to offer a recap of the Council's work this year, as well as its mission. The purpose of the Council is to act as an advisory body to the Department of Tourism, representing the industry perspective and to support the Department's marketing efforts with the ultimate goal of increasing Return on Investment for the State of Wisconsin. This year, we worked hard to strengthen the role of Council Committees with each Council member serving on at least one committee along with Department staff and other representatives from the industry. Following is a review of major Council Committee work accomplished in 2012:

Marketing Committee: Worked closely with Department and Laughlin-Constable to provide input on seasonal campaigns; participated in a strategic planning session to further define the brand.
Travel Green Wisconsin Committee: Streamlined and strengthened program processes, reduced program fees and helped develop a strategic marketing plan to increase participation.
Meetings and Conventions: Embarked on a renewed strategy to promote the Wisconsin meetings and conventions opportunities at national trade shows; provided advisement on ad campaigns.
Sports Marketing: Strengthened the Ready, Set, Go! Sports Marketing Grant program, providing sanctioning and incentive monies to attract out of state sports events.
Joint Effort Marketing: Reviewed 75 Joint Effort Marketing projects that resulted in the funding of 52 projects 2012.
Tourist Information Center: This ad-hoc committee was charged with finding a location to replace the Hudson Welcome Center, with the Menominee Area Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center opening this month.

Council members also served as an "in the field" resource for industry and media outreach that reinforced the Power of Tourism message. Council members accompanied the Secretary and Deputy to editorial board meetings to provide first-hand perspective of tourism's impact on local jobs and tax revenue. Members also served as ambassadors during National Travel & Tourism Week through letters to the editor and appearances at industry and press events.

With an active Council supporting the work of the Department, we can all collectively share in the success of increasing Wisconsin's Tourism's exposure among potential travelers. All indications show that 2012 was a remarkable year, and we, as Council members, are proud to have contributed to this positive outcome.

Be sure to mark your calendars for the next Council Meeting. It will be held January 11th, 2013 in Madison, should you wish to attend, as your input is always appreciated.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, and a prosperous New Year,

Lola

NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
Friday, January 11
10:00-2:00 PM
Department of Tourism Offices
Madison



	Dave Fantle Deputy Secretary 608.266.8773 dfantle@travelwisconsin.com	Top of the page Marketing Update See Winter Advertising Campaign Travel Wisconsin's winter campaign kicked off this month and integrates television, radio, print, in-life, interactive and social channels in Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Green Bay/Appleton. Interactive and social channels reach even further into Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, western Michigan and eastern Iowa and nationally. We are bringing back the hilarious "Symphony Snowball Fight" TV spot shot last year by Wisconsin native and Hollywood director David Zucker. Two more TV ads by David and his brother Jerry will air in 2013. See the complete winter campaign. Nominate a Wisconsin Hero Do you know someone in your community who is voluntarily and selflessly making Wisconsin a better place? Consider nominating that person for a Wisconsin Heroes Award. First Lady Tonette Walker has launched an initiative to recognize these Wisconsin Heroes, personally acknowledging and thanking them for his or her willingness, compassion, and commitment to the betterment of our state. More information and nomination form is available on the First Lady's website. Join Us at the Chicago Golf Show, Feb 22-24 The Department is adding one more consumer show to its schedule as part of a public relations initiative to promote golf in 2013. The Department will host a Travel Wisconsin Golf Booth at the 30th annual Chicago Golf Show, Feb. 22-24. In exchange for some staffing assistance, tourism partners can distribute visitor guides and highlight your community, business or golf opportunities. There is no cost to you other than any travel expenses you may incur. Contact David Spiegelberg for more details at 262/515-2806 and to sign-up for a time.



	Dawn Zanoni Special Events and Markets Manager 608.266.3978 dzanoni@travelwisconsin.com	Top of the page Conference & Education Governor's Tourism Awards Nominations Now Open Sponsored by the Governor's Council on Tourism, the Governor's Tourism Awards recognize and honor people and organizations that have made a significant impact on Wisconsin's Travel and Tourism industry. The Governor will present the awards during the closing dinner and celebration at the 2013 Governor's Conference on Tourism, March 17-19. The five categories of awards include: Governor's Tourism Legacy Award – Presented to an individual who has shown a long lasting and permanent contribution to the industry over the years. The Governor's Tourism Rising Star Award – This award will be presented to an individual who is new to the tourism industry – within the last 5 years – and has shown leadership, commitment and a passion for Wisconsin's tourism industry. The Governor's Tourism Stewardship Award – This award will be presented to a business or community that uses and/or promotes sustainable practices. The Governor's Tourism Service Excellence Award – This award will be presented to a business that has achieved significant success and growth by providing exceptional service to their customers and a strong, charitable involvement in their community. The Governor's Tourism Award for Arts, Culture & Heritage – This award will be presented to a business or destination that showcases the arts, culture or heritage for the enhancement of the tourism experience and economic well-being of a community. More information on the application process, award criteria and electronic submission is available online. Deadline for nominations is Feb. 1, 2013.



	Lisa Marshall Communications Director 608.267.3773 lmarshall@travelwisconsin.com	Top of the page Wisconsin in the News The Buzz on the Big Bundle Up There's been a ton of buzz about our Big Bundle Up campaign! Media coverage following our Dec. 3 launch included Dave's TV interview on TMJ4, Stephanie and Dave's TV interview on FOX6, as well as other clips. As Stephanie stated in her message, a number of private businesses have stepped forward to donate to the cause including Wisconsin Knitwear in Milwaukee and ZooZatZ in Minneapolis. With their donations and all of yours, we should be able to top last year's donation totals. Keep up the great work promoting this worthwhile cause! …Also in the Media this Month Aside from the Big Bundle Up, we've been busy with other media outreach. Stephanie and Dave stopped to talk with Robert Mentzer at the Wausau Daily Herald, who wrote a great piece on the impact of Wisconsin tourism on jobs and the economy. The media has also been covering the Snow Conditions Report, Northern Summit and the big Menomonie Welcome Center ribbon cutting. For all recent media clips, please visit our Media Room. And Looking Ahead… The PR team along with Laughlin-Constable and Geiger & Associates are already focusing on 2013. In January, we'll distribute our annual "What's New in Wisconsin Tourism" release and conduct a statewide TV morning show tour to promote winter travel. Planning is also underway for Chicago and Twin Cities deskside visits this spring, a Wisconsin Dells group press tour in August, and selecting top stories for ongoing national pitches.



	Sarah Klavas Industry Relations & Services Director 608.266.3750 sklavas@travelwisconsin.com	Top of the page Industry Services U.S. Travel Association Report: Travel Jobs Offer Career Progression and Benefits The U.S. Travel Association recently announced results from a study that show travel jobs provide millions of Americans with a gateway to a promising career and opportunity to join the middle class. The study was the first-of-its-kind and relied on more than 30 years of longitudinal data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and analyzed by Oxford Economics and the U.S. Travel Association. Key findings report that the average maximum salary for employees who start their career in the travel industry reaches significantly more than other industries; more than half of all travel industry employees earn a middle-class salary or higher; and, travel jobs provide valuable skills that translate to other careers. The full report is available online. Industry Accolades Rock the Green a Travel Green Wisconsin certified event, received A Greener Festival Award and global recognition as one of the greenest festivals in the world. The Osthoff Resort was voted #1 in the Midwest in the 25th annual Condé Nast Traveler Reader Choice Awards and voted #15 Best Lake Hotel in America by Travel + Leisure readers. Lake Geneva was listed in the Top 10 for Northern US Golf Resorts in Condé Nast Traveler 2012 Reader Choice Awards. The City of Fitchburg was recently named a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

Shelly Allness
Program Manger & Liaision
608.261.8767
mallness@travelwisconsin.com

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Travel Green Wisconsin

NEW Travel Green Wisconsin B2B Brochure

We are excited to announce that the newly created TGW brochure is complete and ready for distribution. This 'green' brochure was created to be a tool for recruiting new members and informing the industry about the many benefits of Travel Green Wisconsin certification. We will be posting it to our industry site and our Regional Tourism Specialists will also have copies.

Wisconsin Wineries: Benefitting from Local Sourcing
While Wisconsin's wineries are growing, there isn't much research available on them. Thanks to a UW-Madison scholarship project, that has changed. With the goal of learning more about locally sourced wineries in our state, this research has helped align Wisconsin wineries and TGW. The survey of Wisconsin wineries reports that locally sourced fruits provides better quality and lower costs, is more environmentally friendly, helps build relationships with vendors, and creates a great source of pride – all leading to the goals of TGW certification. Read the full executive summary.

WELCOME NEW TRAVEL GREEN WISCONSIN CERTIFIED BUSINESSES
Beloit Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center
Visit Beloit
The Beloit Inn
The Brick House Café, Cable
Mogasheen Resort, Cable
Black River Chamber of Commerce, Black River Falls
Navarino Nature Center, Shiocton
Sandy Shores Resort, Conover
Highbridge Hills Sports Complex, Highbridge
Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Kansasville

Abbie Hill
Grant Coordinator
608.261.6272
ahill@travelwisconsin.com

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Grant News

Grant Tip of the Month
Funding for the Joint Effort Marketing grants is based on statutes and administrative rules approved by the state legislature. That is why it's always important to let your state legislators know when you receive a grant and its projected positive economic impact on the local community. Senator Jim Holperin suggested at a recent Council Meeting that grant recipients should take an extra step after receiving grant funding to write a personal letter to their legislators, describing the project and its impact on tourism, and thanking them for their support of this worthwhile program.

Grant Tip of the Month
Ten projects were funded in the November round of JEM grant applications. We've also posted a ton of fun new photos from JEM check presentations that have taken place all around the state.

GRANT APPLICATION DEADLINES

Tourist Information Center – January 1
Ready, Set, Go! – January 1
Joint Effort Marketing– February 1
Destination Marketing – April 1
Meetings Mean Business – April 1



	Joellyn Merz Technology & Customer Service Director 608.261.8214 jmerz@travelwisconsin.com	Top of the page Customer Service & Technology Growth Theme for 2012 Online Stats Online marketing resources saw explosive growth in 2012. Overall visitor traffic to TravelWisconsin.com was up 18%, a result of improved SEO initiatives. More traffic to the site also meant more click-thrus to partner sites, which had a huge jump of about 153%. TravelWisconsin.com visitors are also staying on the site about 50 seconds longer than in 2011. Social media interaction is also growing with an increase of 83% for Facebook (115,098 Likes) and 113% for Twitter (27,468 followers). New Specifications for Travel Item Images In anticipation of the 2013 launch of the redesigned TravelWisconsin.com, we are asking Extranet Partners to upload larger images for their events and travel items. Specifications for images on the new site have changed. Horizontal images are preferred for best display results. Below are the minimum size requirements. Please note these are minimum requirements, images can be larger. Min Width: 800 pixels Min Height: 400 pixels Partners should start now to update current listings by adding photos using the new specifications. When the site launches, our goal is to have one or more photos for all events and travel items.

Harnessing the power of tourism to build a better Wisconsin. See how on: http://industry.travelwisconsin.com.
	Wisconsin Department of Tourism 201 W Washington Ave Madison, WI 53703 1-608-266-7621	If you would like to unsubscribe from our mailings or sign-up to receive the Travel Wisconsin News, please use this link or visit http://industry.travelwisconsin.com.