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Walworth County hopeful summer tourism season will prop up local economy

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

People walk along the lakefront in Lake Geneva.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

A crowded tour boat departs from the Riviera docks in Lake Geneva.

LAKE GENEVA — Mountain bikers took to the trails in the Kettle Moraine State Forest near Whitewater.

Golfers hit the links at Evergreen Golf Club outside Elkhorn.

Sunbathers populated the public beach in Lake Geneva.

Despite the cloudy economic climate, Walworth County tourism officials and local business owners are optimistic this summer will be all right.

Ernie and Roberta Miraldi of Westchester, Ill., were among the dozens of out-of-towners strolling up and down Main Street in downtown Lake Geneva on the Wednesday before Memorial Day.

The couple said they visit the area a few times every summer and plan to continue that tradition this summer, despite the sour economy.

“It’s always such a nice stay,” Roberta said. “It’s definitely worth it.”

But will these visitors—and the money they spend on lodging, food and entertainment—be enough to prop up the local economy before it enters the difficult fall and winter seasons?

“Everybody’s anticipating everything’s going to be down,” said Fred Burkhardt, executive vice president of the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance. “But nobody knows. It’s too early to tell. This is the first time it’s happened, so it’s a best-guess estimate more than anything else.”

The summer tourism season plays a sizeable role in the local economy.

“It’s a multimillion dollar business,” Burkhardt said.

But the recession has had an effect.

Restaurants have gone out of business. Stores are adding goods and services to encourage people to return. Resorts are slashing room rates.

Cautious optimism

“I don’t believe anything happens overnight,” said Kathleen Seeberg, executive director of the Walworth County Visitors Bureau. “We will return (to normal), but it will be hesitant.”

The summer tourism season has just begun, but already the county is seeing signs of life, she said. More cars are filling metered parking spots along downtown streets. More people are renting boats to spend an afternoon on the lakes. And more people are seeking information from the visitors center.

“Couple that with the things (the visitors bureau) is trying to do, and we have optimism this summer will be good,” Seeberg said.

The visitors bureau recently launched a seasonal bus service with the hope of making it easy and affordable for people to explore the county. Visitors can take a bus to and from destinations throughout the county for $1 a ride.

The visitors bureau also has contracted with a company to more widely distribute its visitors guides and has begun working on its Web site to include a way for visitors to book hotel rooms online.

Those efforts could help the county grow tourism during a time when people are traveling less.

“We’re changing with the times and being proactive,” Seeberg said.

Catering to the average visitor

Local hotels have cut rates, started promoting package deals and changed some of their offerings to better cater to visitors who have limited money to spend on travel.

John Beckman, owner of the Bailey House Bed & Breakfast in Williams Bay, said many places have cut rates to encourage visitors to stay longer, but he hasn’t.

“I think if you cut your rates, it seems as if you’re begging,” he said. “So we don’t cut our rates. We want to maintain the experience and the value of that experience.”

Ed Snyder, vice president and general manger of the Lodge at Geneva Ridge just west of Lake Geneva, said the resort has cut its rates and now is offering multiple-night packages.

“(Visitors) are looking for deals—for special offers and packages and inclusive-type activities,” he said.

Snyder said a dramatic drop in corporate clients has forced the resort to better cater to the average person.

“You have to look under more rocks to find people,” he said.

The resort has changed menus at its restaurants, offering simpler fare at more affordable prices. There still are entrees on the menu for $20 to $25, but now there are several dishes that cost $12 to $18.

Snyder believes people still want to travel—even if their adventures take them fewer miles for fewer days.

“I think it’s going to be a successful summer,” he said.

Reinventing their offerings

Laura Jacobs-Welch, owner of the Brick Street Market in downtown Delavan, said the economy has forced the small specialty cheese and fine foods store to evolve. The store now boasts sandwiches made with the cheeses sold in the store along with coffee and wireless Internet access.

“You have to reinvent yourself,” she said. “You have to be in touch with what customers want. You have to provide other reasons for them to come in.”

Jacobs-Welch said she has worked hard to build a loyal customer base since the recession took hold.

“(Before the downturn) business was awesome because we were new and people hadn’t had a good cheese store like ours … for quite a while,” she said. “Ever since then, we e-mail our customers on a weekly basis to encourage traffic (in the store).”

Jacobs-Welch said she’s taken advantage of “networking” opportunities such as joining the Delavan Downtown Business Association and the Walworth County Visitors Bureau to spread the word about her store.

“Those networking things are really important to bring more people into the store,” she said. “We (members) all talk about each other.”

Jacobs-Welch is hopeful her efforts will pay off, but this summer will mark only one year of business for the cheese shop. She’s unsure what the summer will bring.

“I’m worried, but I haven’t had a lot of experience with tourist season to know how much the current economic trend will impact us,” she said.