Great places pd c tourism council 12 9-10

Making the Most of Our Great Places

Tourism as Economic Development for the City of Prairie du Chien

Presented byLaura Brown University of Wisconsin-ExtensionCommunity & Economic Development Educator

December 5, 2010City of Prairie du Chien Tourism CouncilPresentation developed with assistance from Bill Ryan,

Center for Community & Economic Development

Agenda

1. Why Consider Tourism?2. Businesses That Capture Visitor Spending3. Community Strategies to Develop Tourism4. First Impressions results and next steps for Prairie du Chien

LOCALPdC Chamber of CommercePdC Downtown Revitalization (Main Street Program)PdC Tourism Council McGregor Marquette Chamber of CommerceGays Mills Economic Development CouncilFerryville Vision and Promotions BoardFerryville Tourism Council

REGIONAL-COUNTY LEVEL Chambers of CommerceCrawford and Vernon Tourism CouncilsUW Extension

MULTI COUNTY, STATE, MULTISTATEKickapoo Valley AssociationHidden valleysPorts of DiscoveryWI Dept of Tourism7-Rivers Region Economic Partnership Riverlands Economic Advantage Partnership

Part 1. Why Consider Tourism?

Broad Support Locally and Regionally for Tourism Development

Many Successes: A Review of What’s Working

Crawford County Tourism Assessment

1) Tourism Resource Inventory- Assets, barriers, opportunities, & resources

2) Issues and Opportunities – Learn about key issues & needs of existing tourism groups

3) Goals and Objectives Prioritize key issues & opportunities, identify gaps & overlaps.

Economic Development

“The process of retaining, expanding, and attracting jobs, income and wealth in a

manner that improves individual economic opportunities and the quality of human life.”

Building Community Capacity Business attraction - new employers Business retention and expansion Encouraging Entrepreneurship Capturing Outside Dollars Re-acquiring dollars taxed away by

broader units of government Getting Lucky

Key Strategies for Community Economic Development

• If people come, where will they spend money?

• How will they get here? • Will tourists consider buying a

home here? • How will this impact our

communities?

Tourism plays an important role in economic development; improving the economy and well being of residents

Economic Impact of Tourism

Wisconsin County Workforce Development Profile http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/oea/county_profiles/current.htm







Part 2: Types of Businesses that Appeal to Visitors

The following business types were prepared in consultation with Patrick Reinsma, Wisconsin Department of Tourism , Josh Clements, University of Wisconsin – Extension Walworth County , and David Milder, DANTH, Inc.

Innovative Downtown Business Clearinghouse

Based in part on the Innovative Downtown Business clearinghouse, a resource that presents unique business ideas that are bringing people back downtown

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/downtowns/innovative/

Retail - Recreation and Sporting Goods

Earth Rider Bike Shop and Hotel Combination bike shop and B&B, Packages bicycling experiences for visitors. Organizes bike tours of the back

roads and trails of Green County, Wisconsin and nearby communities. Tours are designed for various cycling skill levels and have various theme such as farm tours and history tours.

Part 3: Community Strategies to Develop Tourism

Best Practices from Two Sources:

Adapted From Your Town: A Destination The 25 Immutable Rules of Tourism Development by

Roger Brooks and Maury Forman

Tourism and Retail Development: Attracting Tourists to Local Businesses by Bill Ryan, Jim

Bloms, Jim Hovland, and David Scheler

Five Broad Community Strategies

Create & Use a Tourism Development & Marketing Plan Work in Partnership Recognize First Impressions and the Physical Aspects of

Your Community Celebrate Your Uniqueness and Sense of Place Create Activities and Experiences that Will Make Your

Community a Real Destination

-Adapted from Your Town: The 25 Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism Development by Roger Brooks and Maury Forman

Create and Use a Tourism Development and Marketing Plan

http://www.tourism.umn.edu/

• Planning: Why and How • Building Community Support• Organizing for Tourism Development

Resource:Tourism Development Manual University of Minnesota -Extension

Work in Partnership

Retailers do not have to be located in a particular business district to work together to serve tourists. Instead, they need to share a common market and work cooperatively to serve that market. Retailers find that customers value being able to buy directly from the producer

Example: Cycle Southwest Wisconsin Bicycle Map

Read more at www.cyclesouthwestwisconsin.com

Baraboo, Spring Green, Dodgeville, and Mineral Point Collaborate on an annual Art Tour

Example: Collaborative Regional Art Tour Baraboo, Spring Green, Mineral Point, Wisconsin

Read more at : http://www.fallarttour.com/html/index.php

Work in Partnership

Recognize First Impressions and Physical Aspects of Your Community

The First Impressions Program was first developed by UW Extension in Grant County Wisconsin. Teams from partnering communities visit as secret shoppers and evaluate tourism amenities, the economy, infrastructure, and other community features. Read more : http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/communities/firstimpressions/

Resource: First Impressions ProgramFirst used in Fennimore, Wisconsin

Hospitality training was developed in Monroe County, Wisconsin in response to a need for customer service training and training in creating an overall welcoming community environment.

Example: Community Hospitality Training, Monroe County, Wisconsin

Read more about this program: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/economies/tourism/documents/TourismTopicHospitalityTraining031309.pdf

Recognize First Impressions and Physical Aspects of Your Community

Celebrate Your Uniqueness and Sense of Place

Example: Sharing History with Travelers , Galena, Illinois

What we can learn from Galena: Business leaders should work together

to celebrate the character, culture and history of the town.

The business mix in a town should provide a critical mass of retail products and services that are of particular interest to its visitors

Local retailers should work cooperatively with local lodging establishments and others in the tourism industry

What we can learn from Lanesboro: Capitalizing on tourism does not

necessarily mean a loss of community character or identity

Even traditional retail businesses like hardware stores can find numerous opportunities to expand their product lines to sell to tourists

Businesses should expand their products around the activities and interests of visitors to the area

Example: Sharing The Great Outdoors with Bicyclists, Canoeists, and Rafters Lanesboro, Minnesota


Example: Cheese Lovers in Paradise, Green County, Wisconsin

Smile, and say cheese! You're in southwestern Wisconsin's Green County - famous for Swiss heritage and ethnic cuisine, colorful festivals, and tasty local brews perfectly paired with award-winning cheese.Read more at http://greencounty.org/


Entrepreneurial creativity and public-private cooperation should be encouraged to help create a community identity

Visitors increasingly view shopping as a travel experience

Local retailers should look for opportunities to serve both tourists and residents

Small town business districts should capitalize on their unique heritage, charm and hospitality

Community retailers should work together to create an unified theme for shoppers

Businesses should work together to promote each other and keep the shopper in town longer

Example: Celebrating Heritage with Visitors, Germantown and New Glarus, Wisconsin


Tourism is more than marketing: it is directly related to good community planning and placemaking. This means considering things like land development patterns, circulation patterns, preserving natural and cultural resources, enhancing the local identity, and sense of place, and creating areas that are instinctively attractive.

Remember the “Four Times Rule” Tourists need things to do for FOUR times as long as it takes to travel.

Example - Community Placemaking Through the Arts:Spring Green, Wisconsin

Create Activities and Experiences that Will Make Your Community a Real Destination

Images:http://housemouse.net/hkitch7.htmPrinciples of Community Placemaking” by Steven Graybow, University of Wisconsin

Extension

Each year the Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin hosts “Breakfast in a Victorian Kitchen” events that allow participants to create a meal using seasonal foods and traditional kitchen tools in the Villa’s Victorian Kitchen.

Example: Victorian Breakfast at Villa Louis, Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin

Create Activities and Experiences that Will Make Your Community a Real Destination

Part 4: First Impressions Visit Results

All too often people and organizations say - and may honestly believe - that they want to improve. But they go about it the wrong way. Too much self-evaluation

and too little outside evaluation may mask real problems and opportunities.


Visit to Mineral Point, Wisconsin

Luanne Davis Main Street Business OwnerRogeta Halvorson Director, Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization Terry Meyer Prairie du Chien Department of Public WorksRobert Moses Director, Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of CommerceKevin Mulroony President, Prairie du Chien Chamber of CommerceDonna Teynor Prairie du Chien Tourism Council Mary Novey Prairie du Chien Tourism Council and Visitors


Five Best Things About Mineral Point

1. Friendly people, residents and business

owners

2. Historic buildings

Beautiful old buildings, well cared for

residences

3 Green spaces, trees, pocket parks

4 Art community - Artisans and their shops and

variety of businesses.

5 Small town charm – Very peaceful, quiet and

laid back, well kept appearance, cleanliness,

atmosphere,

Describe one idea that you will borrow for use in your own business/community…

• “..the pocket parks added so much to their community.”

• “The music and attention to detail of all the “craft” stores felt so welcoming.”

• “Several stores had special lighting for their displays which added character to the overall presentation.”

• “…willingness of several businesses to let the public use their bathrooms.”

• “…how nice the facilities were decorated. Everyone was so friendly and helpful.”

• “Educate our own residents/business owners even more as they are truly the first impressions ambassadors. In many case (to the visitor, tourist, etc.).”

• “I liked the street banner signage at the garden center and creative use of sandwich board signage.”

• “I really get excited by the coffee shop – then the rest of the village- The friendly people.”



List five positive things the Mineral Point Team observed about Prairie du Chien

1.Natural Beauty2.Work done on the downtown3.Recreational facilities4.Neighboring Communities- Marquette & McGregor5.Great local services

Kristen Mitchell Graphic ArtistTom Schmit City CouncilMolly Walz Business OwnerPaul Ohlrogge CNRED, UW ExtensionKandy Kueler Business OwnerRick Terrien Director, Iowa County Economic DevelopmentJow Gieske Director, Mineral Point Chamber of Commerce

What is the most outstanding feature of Praire du Chien? • The River

What will you remember most about this community six months from now?

• Beautiful natural surrounding•Cluttered with signage


What are three potential opportunities available to Prairie du Chien?

• Preservation of downtown• Build on historic significance• Diversity of tourism experiences

What are the biggest obstacles/challenges facing Prairie du Chien?

• Growth limited due to natural barriers• Conflict between industry and tourism• Distinction of the downtown• Zoning and commercial property use• Mid size town

For More Information

Laura BrownUniversity of Wisconsin - Extension

Community & Economic Development Educator, Crawford CountyPhone 608-326-0223

[email protected]

Documents

Great places pd c tourism council 12 9-10