Door County Celebrates National Tourism Week Refocused On The Future
This special section is brought to you by:
By Jack Moneypenny, President/CEO, Destination Door County
As Door County’s destination marketing and management organization, our strategy is to sustainably manage visitor-related development, coordinated with resident interests, to preserve our region’s unique identity. We will bring stakeholders together and work collaboratively to transform the region’s set of attractions, activities, and services into a cohesive and compelling travel experience. As we expand on our mission, our filter tests include the following five imperatives: 1) Optimize economic impact through visitor expenditures; 2) Support and empower Door County’s tourism industry; 3) Strengthen destination image; 4) Enhance the visitor experience; 5) Provide sufficient returns given available resources. The imperatives remain, but the actions guiding Destination Door County reflect new awareness, priorities, concerns, and opportunities. At the core of our plan as we move forward is the reinforcement of Destination Door County’s strategic evolution as a destination management organization which also includes destination marketing.
This progression from only marketing to inclusive management reflects the maturity of Door County’s tourism industry and is possible because of our longstanding, resolute focus on responsive marketing, innovative sales, strategic partnerships and the robust development of new tourism products and experiences. Destination management activities inspire travel to and within a destination, improve the visitor experience and enhance and protect destination assets. It’s a virtuous cycle of sustainable economic impact. It’s with success that new and dynamic challenges arise, especially in a world where minute-to-minute changes shake up consumer trends, economies, and climates. At Destination Door County, we are also caught in this interplay of opposites. On one hand, we are confident in the power and effectiveness of Door County’s tourism. On the other hand, we know the industry needs more diverse and broader roots to ensure stability and resilience. We need to concentrate on developing and protecting the places that attract visitors while giving our partners the tools they need to inspire visitors to choose their community when visiting the county. We also recognize the
power of marketing to educate our visitors on ways to travel in a sustainable way. Our sustainability plan highlights our shared awareness of the industry as stewards of the communities, the arts and culture and environmental resources that make Door County special. It’s a call for innovation, inclusion and outreach to rural, secluded destinations and marginalized communities. It’s about supporting Door County’s tourism product and experiences and ensuring their resilience, enhancement, and preservation through sharing diverse stories of all Door County’s people and places. We bring our passion for bold longterm visions and solutions while remaining nimble and focused on the priorities called out in our sustainable plan. The plan embraces new and daring ways to empower Door County’s tourism industry and addresses the need for longer, developmental, adaptive approaches to optimize the tourism industry for countywide economic impact now, and a hundred years from now. And it all begins as we move forward, out of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future.
Annual Recognition of Tourism Shines Light on Industry Established in 1983 by President Reagan, National Travel and Tourism Week is the annual salute to travel in America. During the first week in May communities nationwide unite around a common theme to showcase travel’s contributions to the economy, jobs and how travel shapes the opportunities and experiences available to residents. In Door County, tourism has helped shape the lives of residents since the late 1800s. Door
County’s destination marketing and management organization, Destination Door County, was first established in 1884 as the Door County Businessmen’s Association, with the goal of working together to collectively promote the area. Among the eight names the organization has had since it began, the Door County Chamber of Commerce was the longest running (1924-2004) with the most recent name being the Door County Visitor Bureau (2006-2020). The current name of Destination
Door County has been in place since January 2020 and reflects the evolving nature of the tourism industry and the organization’s willingness to change with the times to best serve the county.
DoorCounty.com
Destination Door County’s Mission Statement To inspire travel that drives community enhancement. Through innovation and partnerships, we will share stories of Door County’s people and places, deliver world-class experiences, strengthen the industry, work to ensure all travelers feel welcome and preserve Door County’s way of life and its natural resources.
INSIDE: New Care for Door County Initiative Leave No Trace 7 Principles Resident/Visitor Survey Results Take The Door County Pledge Scholarship Winners Announced Community Corner Highlights CTA Employer of the Year Award
Please join Destination Door County and everyone in hospitality and tourism this week as we celebrate our industry and recognize the important role it plays in helping support a majority of the residents that call Door County home.
Door County Tourism Industry Shows Resilience Visitor Spending Topped $300 Million in 2020 In a year many will consider one of the most challenging ever for the travel industry, tourism spending in Door County remained steadfast, totaling $304.2 million last year, according to a new economic impact report from Tourism Economics, a global research firm. The tourism economic impact study, commissioned by Destination Door County as part of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s annual economic impact research project, showed that despite widespread statewide and national economic challenges due to the pandemic and associated limitations, Door County’s tourism offerings matched what visitors who did travel were looking for in 2020. And while totals were down compared to the record-breaking year of 2019, they reflect how vitally significant tourism is to the
area’s economy in supporting local businesses, jobs for residents and revenue to local governments. Direct visitor spending of $304.2 million in Door County last year supported a total of $397 million in total business sales when indirect and induced impacts are considered. Visitor activity also supported a total of 2,743 jobs, which earned local job holders $80.4 million in wages. Door County visitor spending, visitor supported jobs, and associated business sales generated $32.5 million in state and local government tax revenues last year as well. This represents a significant contribution to help fund local and state government programs and public infrastructure projects, while reducing the tax burden on county residents.
Among key tourism business categories, lodging represented the largest share of visitor spending in Door County last year at 44%. Food and beverage had a 22% share of visitor spending, retail had an 18.2% share, recreation/ entertainment was 10.2% and transportation was 5.7%. Tourism Economics officials said it was noteworthy that lodging performed as well as it did. As the largest category both by dollars and by share of the visitor dollar, lodging revenue helped mitigate overall spending losses in 2020. Door County was able to take advantage of changes in traveler behavior as a leisure and private home destination. This helped support the lower lodging decline, especially compared with urban
COUNTY TOURISM PROCLAMATION Destination Door County (DDC) would like to thank the Door County Board of Supervisors for passing proclamation number 2021-25 at their March 23, 2021 meeting, officially denoting May 2-8, 2021 as Travel & Tourism Week in Door County. DDC appreciates the county board recognizing the importance of tourism and the opportunity this special week provides for enhancing industry awareness with residents.
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Helping Connect Employers and Workers Through Jobs Site For nearly 20 years one of the tools Destination Door County has made available to area businesses to help with job recruitment, as well as people looking for seasonal or year-round jobs in Door County, is JobsInDoorCounty.com. The site remains a top resource for both employers and job seekers alike in Door County. Last year the jobs site added 299 employers and 866 job seekers for a result of 587 jobs being posted and 59,000 jobs being searched. For employers listing openings
online can provide maximum exposure to qualified candidates from a variety of educational and experiential backgrounds and skill sets. This service is free of charge for any and all Door County businesses and job seekers.
utilized online banner ads as well as ads on both Facebook and Instagram, helped generate around 14,000 click throughs to the site and garnered over 1.6 million impressions with a message that said come and work in Door County this year.
This year, an employee recruitment campaign ran in four key markets in the Midwest and targeted seasonal workers, hospitality and outdoor industries, college students and recent graduates, and job seekers in general. The campaign, which
Destination Door County continues to identify ways to improve the job site experience from both the employer and job seeker perspective. The site is very active, and the domain organically appears at the top of most job searches for Door County.
2021 DESTINATION GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE The Official Door County Destination Guide can be found throughout the county at businesses and information centers and is a great tool for planning a day, or a week, in Door County. Pick up a copy today or view it online, on your phone, or on a tablet at DoorCounty.com.
Because together, we can make a greater difference.
81%
of visitors find it important to care for the land and water resources while visiting.
66%
of residents feel Door County’s outdoors are extremely important to them.
Door County Tourism Industry Shows Resilience
Visitor Spending Topped $300 Million in 2020 Did You Know:
Visitors spent $304.2 million in Door County in 2020 and generated $32.5 million in state and local taxes. 2020 Door County Visitor Spending by Category
2020 Door County Tourism Economic Impact Report Open your phone’s camera to scan this QR code or visit http:// bit.ly/Door2020 to view the full report.
Continued from page 1 areas of Wisconsin. Additionally, the average daily rate (ADR) lodging providers charged per room increased in Door County last year by 12.5%. Comparatively, ADR fell 17% statewide. Door County’s share of statewide visitor spending grew in 2020. The $304.2 million in visitor spending represented 3.1% of all visitor spending in Wisconsin, putting it 7th among the state’s 72 counties last year with Milwaukee County topping the list followed by Sauk, Dane, Waukesha, Brown and Walworth counties. With the 2021 season on Door County’s doorstep, early indicators have tourism officials very optimistic about a strong bounce
back from last year. Pandemic losses can be considered very reachable gains as more normal visitor activity continues to rebound. A recent travel poll by Longwoods International showed that 87% of travelers nationwide have plans to travel in the next six months. Many local lodging providers are seeing an increase in advanced reservations and visitor demand for outdoor recreation opportunities and non-urban leisure destinations continues to remain strong. Inquiries on DoorCounty.com are up significantly through the first 4 months of 2021, and lodging demand has shown positive signs through the first quarter of the year as well. With that, Door County should continue to be a top choice for travelers eager to resume hitting the road.
Community Corner - What’s Happening Around The Door By Cambria Mueller, DDC Community Advocacy Manager As Door County communities gear up for another year of welcoming visitors, there are many changes for everyone to check out. In Sturgeon Bay, the Door County Maritime Museum has finished construction on their Lighthouse Tower. The full tour experience will be available next May, but many floors with exhibits will be open in 2021. Graham Park has been revitalized! Check out all the fun yard games and seating area while you take in the breathtaking views of the Bay. While enjoying the outdoors, be sure to take a walk on the Ice Age Trail, which just received Community Designation. And in case you didn’t get enough of the outdoors, Sturgeon Bay will have a finished West Waterfront Promenade that features a community park, green space and a two-tier public walkway. If you think you will need help finding all these fun new treasures, Sturgeon Bay has you covered. Just simply look for their deep blue wayfinding signs that feature vehicular and pedestrian – so no matter which way you prefer to travel, you will always be able to find your way. Traveling up the Peninsula to Baileys Harbor, you will notice many new businesses in this small but mighty Town. Some of the restaurants feature a farm to table aspect and are being showcased in the Baileys in Bloom
Campaign – so let your nose guide you! As you walk or drive your way around town, be sure to stop by the Anclam Jetty which is set to reopen this year and take in the magical wonder of the waters of Lake Michigan.
Fish Creek and rest your feet at the Gazebo in Noble Square that will be opening soon. The beach is completing its phase 2 by Memorial Day – it is going to be a great asset right downtown to cool off and take in the views.
In ‘Green’ Egg Harbor many initiatives are based upon the Village being a Green Tier Legacy Community and being awarded the Governor’s Tourism Stewardship Award for promoting sustainability. So, you may see a Seabin floating in the Egg Harbor Marina, collecting any floating trash, or businesses using compostable or recyclable items either during your stay at a hotel or eating in or out at a restaurant. This is because the Village is trying to eliminate single use plastics. After getting done checking out all the sustainable features of the Village, be sure to check out the newly expanded beach – and take the time to enjoy a beautiful sunset from one of the Adirondack chairs while burying your feet in the sand.
The high water was a burden for Ephraim last year, but the Shoreline Project, which was implemented to help protect the village from the water, will be completed in May. Now with the shoreline protected, there will also be
Fish Creek finished their Hwy 42 construction last year, and it now makes it easier and safer to walk with the new sidewalks that meander all throughout the Town. While taking a stroll through town, be sure to stop in at many of the new businesses that have popped up in
areas for benches and tables for the exploring eye to take in the views, and possibly a magnificent sunset! In the northern part of the peninsula including Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, Rowleys Bay and Gills Rock you can take in the outdoor bliss as you walk or hike many of the natural areas, check out the new businesses and search for the festive gnomes. There is always something to see around every corner!
DDC’s Strategic Community Partnership Program Visitor spending has a huge impact on community development. Did you know Destination Door County has contributed over $3.9 million dollars back to local community associations through the Strategic Community Partnership (SCP) program? Established in 2009, this program provides additional funding to community business associations for marketing purposes and also supports our community coordinator jobs. Since the money for SCP comes from room tax dollars through DDC, it can only be used for marketing related purposes, per Wisconsin Statute. Many of the community projects that get done are due in large part to the great working relationship the coordinators have with their municipality and the combined efforts to move their respective community forward. When we all work together, Door County becomes a better place for everyone.
Door County CTA Program Continues to Shine By Yvonne Torres, DDC Director of Finance & Administration The Door County Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) Program is a multifaceted program that serves to increase tourism in Door County by inspiring front-line employees and volunteers to turn each visitor encounter into a positive experience. This National, professional program demonstrates Destination Door County’s dedication to promoting our destination as the best, with a high level of commitment to our business community, its employees and its customers. The CTA program teaches employees and volunteers best practices and ensures they understand their role in Door County’s tourism industry. The focus of the program is to increase their knowledge of Door County, provide answers to the variety of questions received from visitors, and gives employees a chance to meet one another, learn from each other’s experiences and celebrate together. What separates the Door County CTA program from other training programs is that it is not simply a training, but a certification. As an accredited provider, Destination Door County presents the official CTA designation on behalf of the Tourism Ambassador InstituteTM, the national oversight body for the certification program. Since the program’s inception in 2009, the Door County CTA program has certified over 1,100 people offering classes both in person and virtually. 2020 produced an unparalleled set of challenges for us all. Destination Door County rose to the occasion to ensure that the CTA program would not only continue, but thrive. We were mindful of how CTA’s connected with one another and how they can remain engaged in the happenings in our community. Changing times called for a changed approach. In June of 2020, we transitioned all of our CTA presentations to virtual (via zoom). Despite being virtual, our class structure remained unchanged. We were able to still have the rich discussions necessary to learn, not only from the curriculum, but from our peers. For our existing CTA’s, we promoted virtual experiences to earn points and we highlighted stars in our community that were going the extra mile to help others. In 2021, we were able to resume in person training while continuing to offer the virtual classes as well. We are confident that no matter the method, our CTA’s will continue shine with whatever lies ahead.
Door County Gift Certificates
Door County gift certificates are available to purchase through Destination Door County at the Door County Welcome Center, by phone at 800-527-3529 or online at DoorCounty.com. They make great gifts for visitors, residents or rewards for employees! Any business in Door County (regardless of membership) is encouraged to accept them and will be reimbursed by Destination Door County at 100% face value. To see a list of DDC members that accept these Door County gift certificates, visit DoorCounty.com/gift-certificates. More than $350,000 worth of Door County gift certificates were sold through Destination Door County last year, and they can only be spent at business in Door County.
Door County Maritime Museum executive director Kevin Osgood, left, and deputy director Sam Perlman, right, accepted the CTA Employer of the Year award at their Sturgeon Bay museum location.
Door County Maritime Museum Named CTA Employer of the Year Each year, we present the CTA Employer of the Year award to a business who embraces the spirit of the Door County Tourism Ambassador program through fierce advocacy and support. While the last year certainly presented challenges and uncertainty throughout our business community, this organization stayed the course and pioneered their way through an endeavor that will benefit our community and the traveling public for years to come. The
visitor experience and local community has always been at the forefront of their mission and over the years they have certified countless new CTA’s and graciously hosted our CTA classes. We look forward to our continued partnership with this organization and wish them our most heartfelt congratulations. Please join us in congratulating the Door County Maritime Museum, our 2021 CTA Employer of the Year.
Destination Door County is a 501 (c) (6) non-profit destination marketing and management organization representing Door County, Wisconsin. We are a membership-based organization that supports and provides valuable exposure for tourism-focused businesses while driving incremental economic development through promotional strategies that prioritize sustainable tourism.
Destination Door County
1015 Green Bay Road • P O Box 406 • Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Web: DoorCounty.com • Email: info@doorcounty.com Phone: 920-743-4456 • Toll-free: 800-527-3529 Proudly supporting Door County for 137 years (1884-2021)