Door County Gift Certificate Fees Eliminated

The Door County Visitor Bureau’s popular gift certificate program is now more business friendly than ever. As of November 1, 2008, the 3 percent surcharge on all redeemed gift certificates will be retracted, and gift certificates will be redeemed at their full face value for any business located in Door County that accepts them.

The 3 percent surcharge on redeemed gift certificates had been used by the Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB) to pay for the program including administrative, mailing and paper costs. But at their meeting on October 22, the DCVB Board of Directors discussed and then unanimously voted to rescind the surcharge based on member feedback and as a way to encourage even more area businesses to accept the gift certificates. Since the certificates are now redeemed at full face value, businesses may also choose to give change back to allow patrons to use the change for gratuities or other items.

Door County Gift Certificates may be accepted as payment for goods and services by any business in Door County, and the DCVB will reimburse that business for 100 percent of the gift certificate amount regardless of whether the business is a member of the DCVB. However, only DCVB members have the opportunity to be included in gift certificate promotional items, such as the list of businesses that welcome and accept the gift certificates. That list is included with every gift certificate sold. Members also have the option to be included on the popular DoorCounty.com web page which lists all businesses that welcome the gift certificates and accept them as payment for goods and services. Currently there are over 235 businesses that participate and are promoted on that list.

Gift certificates are sold in denominations of $10, $25 and $50, and may be purchased in person at the Door County Visitor Bureau’s Welcome Center at1015 Green Bay Road (Hwy 42/57) in Sturgeon Bay, by phone at 920.743.4456 or online at DoorCounty.com.

Businesses needing to redeem gift certificates simply endorse them like a check and submit them along with their business name, mailing address and phone number to the DCVB. They can be dropped off at the DCVB Welcome Center in Sturgeon Bay be mailed to: c/o Barb, DCVB, PO Box 406, Sturgeon Bay WI 54235. The DCVB will cut a check for the full amount of any gift certificates turned in and will promptly mail a check back to the business.

Any business interested in being included in the promotional side of the gift certificate program should contact Carole Counard at the DCVB at 920.743.4456 or [email protected] to request a participation form. Forms and additional information about the program can also be found online atDoorCountyVisitorBureau.org.