Tourism Organizations Receive 2016 Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer Awards

The Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (WACVB) presented the 2016 Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer awards to Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Elkhart Lake Tourism Commission, Visit Eau Claire, Door County Visitor Bureau for outstanding marketing and partnership efforts.

The Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureaus (SPACVB) received the Trailblazer Award in the under $25,000 Marketing Campaign category for the Orange Barrel Art Tour.  The project was a collaboration between the bureau and CREATE portage county to promote the region's arts community and put a unique spin on road construction season by creating sculptures from orange road construction barrels. The project aimed to add the right splash of temporary art to make drivers smile during construction season as well as to encourage them off the roads (intentionally) to enjoy what Stevens Point area has to offer.  The project generated statewide media coverage, increased traffic on the CVB’s Web site and social media platforms and helped to increase attendance at local arts attractions, like the Stevens Point Sculpture Park, during the summer months.

The Elkhart Lake Tourism Commission received the Trailblazer Award in the $25,000-$50,000 Marketing Campaign category for the Vacationing Elkhart Lake Style Video Series.  Using the insight of tourism industry partners, the commission shared the story of vacationing in the resort village which brings visitors back year after year to reconnect with family and friends.  The videos were viewed 33,254 times from mid-March through July. 31^st on www.Elkhartlake.com. The Dine Around video was shared on Facebook as part of a culinary-specific effort in May and was viewed 54,000 times, without any paid efforts.  Additional video clips were shared on Facebook generating 25,791 views plus a 45% increase in Facebook fans.

Visit Eau Claire received the Trailblazer Award in the $50,000 and over Marketing Campaign category for the Eau Claire Stream Mobile Visitor Center.    the  Eau Claire-Stream is an interactive, state-of-the-art mobile marketing center, designed to build upon the Visit Eau Claire’s successful Fun Patrol mobile visitor center program.  It takes the Eau Claire “vibe” on the road with music performances, product sampling, artist demonstrations, media interviews and more with the overall goal of recruiting visitors, students, businesses, and future residents. The Eau Claire-Stream has generated earned media worth nearly $90,000 and nearly 20,000 social media engagements and connections.

Door County Visitor Bureau received the Trailblazer Award in the Outstanding Partnerships category for the Behind the Door Photo Book.   The user-generated fine art coffee table book showcases the scenic beauty of Door County's four distinct seasons along with the passion and interest of photographers for Door County as a travel destination.  It was also an opportunity to engage visitors and utilize images captured by visitors and residents that opted into the photo contest, which would ultimately result in the book.  The contest generated more than 24,000 photo entries and more than 120,000 votes were cast in the favorite photo entries contest.  The contest provided the DCVB with over 24,000 photos to use for promotional purposes.  With the photographers and book publisher as partners, Door County Visitor Bureau has sold more than 500 books to date.

WACVB presents the Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazers awards each year during the Wisconsin Fall Tourism Conference in an effort to increase the visibility of Wisconsin’s tourism industry and destination marketing organizations.  The awards recognize Wisconsin tourism organizations for outstanding marketing and partnership efforts.  Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett joined WACVB in presenting the award during at this year’s conference in Eau Claire.  WACVB represents Wisconsin's destination marketing organizations and initiates cooperative ventures that strengthen Wisconsin's tourism industry.