Regional focus needed to reap benefits of tourism marketing

By Sue Gleason, Thrive

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Editor's note: This is the first in an eight-part series highlighting eight strong opportunities to grow our regional economy in ways that preserve and enhance our quality of life. The Assets and Opportunities Initiative, or A&O, was launched by Thrive, the economic development enterprise for the eight-county region, with support from the Madison Community Foundation. It was conducted by Vandewalle & Associates with input from state and regional resources and experts.

The landmark A&O Initiative, completed in December, identified key assets in our region, mapped them, and uncovered eight unique opportunities we have to grow the region's economy based on our assets. This is critical; by developing opportunities based on our assets, we have a stronger starting point and better chance of success. Thrive will be involved with those efforts that align with Thrive's strategic goals, but the organization is looking to leaders in each arena to turn these opportunities into action.

The first of these opportunities took a major step forward in January when Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, asked her regional tourism colleagues to join a panel of 40 regional economic development professionals. "I was thrilled to see tourism recognized as one of the eight growth opportunities identified for the region and wanted to step forward to help organize the conversation to share existing tourism efforts in the region and move future opportunities conversations into action," Archer said to kick off the meeting.

Archer, panel moderator, was joined by Will Christianson, Wisconsin Department of Tourism; Krista Flanagan, GMCVB; Martha Mitchell, Visit Beloit; Christine Rebout, Janesville CVB; and Romy Snyder, WI Dells CVB. Sue Gleason, Thrive, provided the framework for the meeting by presenting the region's tourism assets from the A&O report. These assets showed the opportunity to advance regional tourism through further developing and packaging activities to draw more people to the region, keep them here longer, and provide bundled "staycation" ideas to increase the economic impact of tourism.

Our region is a tourism leader in the state, with a diverse array of offerings including our natural resources, cultural history and family attractions, a flourishing arts scene, and specialty food and beverages. In total, nearly one-quarter of all tourism expenditures in the state occur in our region. The total economic impact of tourism is almost $3 billion annually. In addition to industry drivers like Wisconsin Dells and Madison, we have a unique collection of identifiable communities and, as Mitchell noted, "as the southern gateway to the region, Beloit, is also becoming a destination." Mitchell highlighted this year's fourth annual Beloit International Film Festival, which the New York Times hailed as one of four alternatives in the country to the Sundance Festival.

As a region, we have much to offer; by packaging the region as a whole, we could do a better job of attracting tourism and spending.

Many of our region's unique small businesses need a collective regional approach to succeed; regionally packaging tourism can make it a bigger part of our regional experience and economy. "Tourism may not be able to save the economy," said Rebout, "but it can certainly help, and the more we work together regionally, the better for all of us."

The question before the panelists, and for regional tourism professionals around the region, was this: How can we better capitalize on our (assets) to expand our tourism economy? How can we develop tourism packages to make it easier to explore the region? How do we make this a win for everyone? Empty nesters, singles and couples, young families, visiting university parents, conference attendees; these groups have varied interests that can be matched to the region's places and attractions. Here for a conference? Bring the family and stay for the weekend — visit the Dells; enjoy the uniqueness of the driftless area; drive the Trollway or visit House on the Rock and take in a show at APT; gallery-hop in Mineral Point; enjoy fondue in New Glarus. Bike our many renowned trails, or try our regional beer, wine, cheeses and other local, seasonal harvests through a circuit of tours, tastings and visits to working farms.

Communities in the region have already moved forward with such initiatives. The Fall Art Tour spanning Baraboo, Spring Green and Mineral Point is a great example. The cities of Horicon and Mayville are working to better market and build businesses around Horicon Marsh and the new visitors center. Beloit's Mitchell and Janesville's Rebout already collaborate to promote Rock County as a larger whole, and even pointed to their support of the strong tourism industry in the Dells, noting that visitors come through Rock County and stay on their way to the Dells. Everyone wins.

The meeting on tourism ended with many on the panel and in the audience interested in continuing the conversation. Specific topics might include collective opportunities for tourism, the power of tourism in the region, film festivals, exploring higher value-added eco-tourism, partnerships and cross-marketing.

"Now it is up to the leaders in each related sector to grab hold of these opportunities and run with them," Archer said.

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