Showtime: Funding increase allows Janesville to do tourism show
JANESVILLE — The organization charged with promoting Janesville to visitors will spend $36,000 for an exclusive appearance on "Discover Wisconsin," a syndicated tourism television show that airs on 40 stations in eight Midwestern states.
The Janesville City Council on Monday approved an increase in the percentage of local room tax dollars that go to the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Historically, the bureau received 37.5 percent of the local room tax, which typically amounted to about $262,000—98 percent of the bureau's annual budget for marketing the community as a tourism destination.
The council increased that percentage to 42.5 percent, which will put another $35,500 into the bureau's coffers.
Each year, the city collects about $710,000 from its 8 percent room tax. What doesn't go to the bureau goes to the city's general fund, said Jay Winzenz, the city's director of administrative services.
Christine Rebout, the bureau's executive director, said the new money would be funneled into marketing and sales efforts.
"The goal is to invest that money to re-create and increase the room tax," she said.
The bureau has contracted with "Discover Wisconsin" to produce a 30-minute segment that will air three times in 2014 and 2015 plus radio spots and links on various websites.
After commercials, the community will actually get about 22 minutes of airtime with the broadcast of each episode.
"Discover Wisconsin is not inexpensive," Rebout said. "Each episode costs about $36,000 to produce."
Rebout said it's a common misperception that "Discover Wisconsin" episodes are free as a function of the state's Department of Tourism. The television program, however, is not connected to the state agency.
In addition to paying for an episode that will focus on Janesville, the bureau partnered with the Ice Age Trail Alliance and Evansville Tourism Commission to be a part of a "Discover Wisconsin" series on the Ice Age Trail. The episode will air three times between this year and 2015.
"Cost is always a factor when contracting for a 'Discover Wisconsin' episode," Rebout said. "They are very expensive. We have never done an episode on our own without partnering with someone like Beloit or Rock County."
With a full segment, Rebout hopes to more fully showcase all that Janesville has to offer visitors.
"People know about Rotary Gardens, the Tallman House and the Janesville Performing Arts Center," she said. "This time, we want to go a little deeper and show people other things—the holiday lights show at the gardens or the Helen Jeffris Wood Museum—that better match their interests.
"If we split an episode with someone else, we would only get seven to 10 minutes of airtime, and we just couldn't go very deep."
Rebout said "Discover Wisconsin" crews will film in Janesville throughout the year to show the community's seasonal offerings. The crew also will include the community's resources for meeting planners and tour group operators.
She said she'll be able to pay for the production over three years, which allows some of her increased funding to go into other marketing efforts.
Tourism is big business in Rock County. In 2011, visitors spent nearly $175 million in the county, an increase of almost 10 percent over the previous year, according to the state Department of Tourism.
That spending increase, the state reported, translated into local increases in employment, labor income and local, state and federal taxes.
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:14 p.m.
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If the Gazette stands to have more hits from out of the area, with a chance for more advertising from local merchants, shouldn't a link to the CVB website be up front and "in the viewer's line of sight"? Right there at the top - and at no extra cost to the CVB? http://www.janesvillecvb.com/
Jan 22, 2013 at 8:07 p.m.
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Oh, I think television is a very good advertising medium. However, we need something to advertise. I checked out the CVB page to see just how much we have to offer. If everything we have is listed, then we're spending quite a bit of money on each site. Tallman, Rotary, a few parks, minor sports...
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Perhaps we could each take a look at the site and think of things that are missing. After all, this is our town we want to promote. We have a vested interest in this venture.
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What are our strengths? (Feel free to add your thoughts, too) We are on an interstate - easy access; hotels in the area; some natural resources - water sports, parks; "Lincoln slept here"; county fair.
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What are our weaknesses? Location of county fair; limited natural resources; limited evening activities (that people will travel far to attend...bars don't count); very limited "destination sites" for visitors. Let's face it, we aren't known for a lot of fun activities that doesn't include sitting at a counter to drink beer. Visitors can do this at home.
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What are our opportunities? We realize we could be a destination site. We are centrally located to Rock County and SC Wisconsin, and could work with other smaller venues to promote the area. We have a pool of trained marketing staff who live here (right?); we are a bedroom community for Rockford/Madison of white collar professionals. We know we need this public recognition.
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What are our threats? We're so close to Madison, Milw, Rockford, Chicago, Mississippi River, Lake Michigan. We are "on the way" to places with real destinations. Empty stores or a collection of place holders in those buildings - not real draws. Local media demonstrates crime and low income issues, and we can't forget the bad press of GM and associated firms leaving (must admit that Paul Ryan's loss with Romney didn't boost our sales over 4-8 years). CVB website doesn't have much to sell to the visitor.
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Yes, we need the exposure. However, we really need to know what we're advertising. If we can't advertise on the CVB website-a rather low expense for publicity-how can we know what Discover Wisconsin team should highlight? Let's use the CVB site as our 'outline', as we did for college papers. Fill it up with sites, events, personalities, unique shopping opportunities, local history, maps, times, prices, rental options... Let's sell the Janesville residence that we're a destination site. Most of us travel out of town for our fun, or sit at a counter, drink beer and watch sports channels.
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http://www.janesvillecvb.com/
http://www.visitmadison.com/
http://www.gorockford.com/
http://www.traveldubuque.com/
http://www.milwaukee.org/
http://www.rochestercvb.org/
Jan 21, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.
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A ridiculous waste of money. 3 TV spots?? Really? I sure the 36000 bucks could be better put to use. People are in social media, online, etc more than some show on TV no one has ever heard of. The last place anyone looks for a getaway or info is on TV. Catch up folks!
Jan 21, 2013 at 3:35 p.m.
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is this the same city council that decided to cut fire and police funding just last week?
Jan 21, 2013 at 2 p.m.
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dont forget to tour the 4th ward and look west neighborhoods and the outstanding people who, roam the the streets after dark.
Jan 21, 2013 at 8:50 a.m.
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When I was a kid, I worked a summer in the Dells. It was eye opening when I was waiting on a 'local' (who was with out of town guests). He said even though he'd lived there all his life, he'd never been to the establishment where I was working. He wasn't a tourist and didn't visit tourist traps.
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I surmise that's the case for many of us. But, as I read through this article, I realize that I don't know what the 'Helen Jeffris Wood Museum' is. Do we have a pamphlet/website that tells of things to do in town/area...even for us residents to visit?
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