Taking advantage of Lake Michigan

She said interviewees felt local residents are averse to change and prefer to stick to "the way we've always done it."

"You need your residents to be your fans, too … you have to be an evangelist," Minsky said.

"The critical news is that some questioned whether people in the community fully understood the value of growing the local tourism economy," she said.

Her intent is to help "discover the one true brand identity that will create an emotional bond with travelers and set the community on a path-to-grow day and overnight trip."

Minsky has no doubts about what that identity can be. Her branding statement includes, "We're the quiet side of Lake Michigan."

State pushing 'fun'

The keynote speaker of the Tourism Summit was Dave Fantle, the deputy secretary of the state Department of Tourism.

"Tourism is the bipartisan, nonpolitical business," said Fantle, who previously worked for Visit Milwaukee.

"We don't care if you are a Republican at a museum, a Democrat at a water slide or an Independent at a performing arts center … we just want your money," said Fantle, who joined Gov. Scott Walker's administration in January.

He said tourism hasn't developed any new marketing slogans, like "Escape to Wisconsin" used in past campaigns.

Fantle said tourism advertising debuting in the next few weeks will have fun as the principal theme.

"The number one reason people travel is to have fun … and Wisconsin is perceived by travelers from the Midwest as more fun than Michigan and Minnesota," Fantle said of the upcoming messages designed to push an emotional button.

He noted tourism is one of two state agencies that would get budget increases in Walker's proposed 2011-13 budget.

"Tourism is fun, but it is also an important business," Fantle said, pointing to $12.3 billion in travel expenditures statewide in 2010, with 39 percent spent in summer, 24 percent in the fall, 21 percent in the spring and 17 percent in winter.

Fantle said high gas prices "don't help anybody with a decrease in discretionary income but you can get to anywhere in the state on a tank of gas.

"And we are a value destination with visitors paying less (compared to other states) for food and lodging," said Fantle, noting one of his successes in his previous job was convincing TV's top-rated show, "American Idol" producers, to have one of the audition sites be Milwaukee.

Fantle believes the tourism sector should stress the "proven health benefits of travel.

"We all need to chill out … rejuvenate and relax," Fantle said.

Take home memories

As the new executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Manitowoc County, Connie Loden told the Holiday Inn audience she sees Manitowoc like a visitor might.

"And I really like what I see … that's why I moved here," said the former chief executive officer of the Heart of Wisconsin Business Alliance in Wisconsin Rapids.

Loden spoke on "The Power of Tourism Synergy and Economic Development."

She said the regional economy could be seen as a swimming pool. Tourism is a business, she said, that helps fill the pool — the economy — with more water — capital.

"The product doesn't leave our community except as memories and experiences that people take home," Loden said.

Those fun, or exciting, or soothing memories may serve as business attractors by creating an atmosphere in a region where small businesses or self-employed individuals want to locate or existing businesses choose to expand.