A View from the DCVB: 2019 Visitor Guides Unveiled

The 2019 Official Door County Visitor Guide debuts this month. The guide is our primary printed visitor piece, distributed both in and out of the county, as well as mailed free to anyone who requests a copy. We printed 230,000 copies this year. Guides are now available at our Door County Welcome Center and countywide at community information centers.

If you would like guides delivered to your business on a regular basis, contact us at 920.743.4456 or [email protected]. Paper Boy delivery services drops off guides around the county weekly, or you can pick them up at our DCVB Welcome Center. Guides are packed 25 per case.

We’re also debuting our 2019 strategic marketing plan:  a great resource where business owners can learn about the initiatives we’re using to attract and maintain tourism in Door County.

Did you know that in 2017, Milwaukee and Chicago were the top markets visiting Door County as measured by room nights? This year from May to September, we will have multiple digital billboards in both Milwaukee and Chicago that businesses can advertise on as part of our co-op marketing plan. To view our 2019 strategic marketing plan and learn more about co-op marketing opportunities, visit doorcounty.com/membership.

The Door County community donated new and gently used cold-weather gear to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Big Bundle Up campaign. Eleven tourism organizations in Door County collected coats, hats, mittens and warm clothing items this holiday season. All items donated in the county will stay in the county.

Since 2009, the DCVB has facilitated the Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) program and has certified more than 1,000 individuals. The program is designed to train tourism-related employees to enhance the visitor experience, drive visitor spending through in-depth knowledge of the destination and ensure consistent delivery of a positive destination experience. Upcoming classes will be held Jan. 23 at Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor from 12:30 to 5 pm; and Feb. 21 at the Union Supper Pub in Sturgeon Bay from 8:30 am to 1 pm. Sign up at CTAnetwork.com. The cost is $25 per person. Contact Yvonne Torres at [email protected] or 920.818.1139 for more information.

In February, we will host our first group press trip of 2019 as part of our media marketing program with Geiger & Associates Public Relations. We will welcome travel journalists from around the country on this winter-themed trip, and the journalists will partake in seasonal activities such as ice fishing, snowshoeing, wine tasting, art gallery visits and, of course, dining. We will host six group press trips in 2019 that will highlight seasonal themes and focus on lighthouses, arts/culinary and December holidays. Since starting our media marketing program in 2007, we have generated $23,418,288 worth of press coverage for Door County. To view articles generated from the program, visit tinyurl.com/yafamdpg.

If your business would like to learn more about becoming a member of the Door County Visitor Bureau, contact Yvonne Torres, membership manager, at [email protected] or 920.818.1139; or visit doorcounty.com/membership.