Lake Geneva – (Friday, Nov. 4, 2011) The Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (WACVB) today presented the 2011 Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer award to the Door County Visitor Bureau, Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau and Real Racine for outstanding marketing and partnership projects.

WACVB presents the Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazers awards each year at the WI Fall Tourism Convention in an effort to increase the visibility of Wisconsin’s tourism industry and destination marketing organizations.  The awards recognize Wisconsin tourism organizations for outstanding marketing and partnership efforts.  

The Door County Visitor Bureau received the Trailblazer Award in the marketing and communication budget over $50000 category for the “Your stories. Our setting.  Like Nowhere Else” social media campaign.  The bureau integrated its advertising campaign to social media, creating an ongoing dialogue with visitors by having them tell their Door County vacation stories and having community members blog about the destination.  Since launching the new campaign on Facebook and Twitter, the DCVB has seen the number of Twitter followers and Facebook “likes” more than double, blog views are up dramatically, and Web visits are up 5% over 2010 with lodging pages receiving the most visits.

The Greater Green Bay CVB received the Trailblazer Award in the marketing and communication budget under $30000 category for the Packers vs. Steelers fan showdown.  The CVB took advantage of a challenge from the rival Pittsburgh CVB to see what city had more loyal fans for the Super Bowl match up.  The CVB launched the campaign via an email newsletter to its database as well as postings on Facebook and Twitter.  It offered fans a chance to win of 2 tickets to the 2011 home opener and lodging.  The bureau’s server overloaded in 2 days and they logged 261,000 fans compared to Pittsburgh's 81000 fans.  The CVB promoted its enews and visitor guide on the ticket contest web page and had 60,000 subscribe to enews and  48,000 request a visitors guide.  Due to mailing budget restraints, email was sent to 48000 with link to eguide and 6000 fans still wanted the printed guide.

Real Racine received the Trailblazer Award for outstanding partnership for the North Beach Clean Up.   A decade ago, Racine's North Beach was empty on the warmest of summer days.  It was closed over 50% of the time and the average daily attendance was 126.  Several area organizations including the City of Racine Health Department, Sustainable Racine, Racine Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department, a local businessman Paul Curtin, and Real Racine.  Though a grant, the community was able find the source of the water pollution at the beach and improved the grooming at the beach.  The beach achieved the prestigious Blue Wave Beach designation in 2004 from the National Clean Beaches Council, one of only two great lakes beaches to achieve the honor, and it has maintained it on an annual basis since.  Real Racine increased the visibility and popularity of the beach by making it the venue for many national events including the Spirit of Racine (now Ironman Racine 70.3) Triathlon, IronGirl Triathlon, EVP Pro Beach Volleyball National Championships and UWP Grand Prix of Watercross. 

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett and sponsor Wisconsin Trails Magazine joined WACVB in presenting the award during WACVB’s 2011 Wisconsin Fall Tourism Convention in Lake Geneva.  WACVB represents Wisconsin's top destination marketing organizations and initiates cooperative ventures that enhance the state's tourism industry.

 ###