MONROE - The City of Monroe Visitor and Promotion Board wants to look at new markets for advertising.
In a board discussion Wed-nesday regarding re-evaluating present and future projects, Chairman Ron Marsh asked Noreen Rueckert, director of Green County Tourism, to check Minneapolis, Des Moines, Milwaukee and Fox River Valley as locations to direct more mailings and publications advertising local events.
Marsh, Monroe's mayor, wants the board to check other locations and how much should go into those market places.
Rueckert agreed.
"It's time for me to do something more than northwest Chicago," she said.
Rueckert said she has been concentrating this year on two hot topics, bicycling and culinary tourism, as part of a statewide endeavor to draw people to the area.
Cheese and beer are, of course, part of local culinary tourism, and Green County will be one of the 10 counties featured on the television show Discover Wisconsin's episode Hidden Valleys of Southwest Wisconsin, scheduled to air Jan. 24-25.
The board sees past efforts to canvass northwest Chicago suburbs as a success, based on the cost-benefit ratio.
Marsh noted the return cost of investment of 10,000 flyer inserts to the Chicago area at a cost of $3,700.
"That's 10,000 hits at 37 cents a piece, and we know we got a return," he said. "We need to look at increasing that."
The board also asked for full-page ads in the Green County Tourism Guide to include a calendar listing of events. The guide was noted as a popular publication, especially at hotels, motels and the Green County Welcome Center, by board members.
The board pre-approved $1,250 for a two-page ad in the Green County Visitors Guide, on a joint request of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Monroe Main Street.
Members Randy Gobeli and Richard Thoman said the outlook of occupancy rates at their motel and hotel businesses have been up after a downturn earlier this year.
"Our third and fourth quarter were excellent, and have almost caught up (to previous volumes)," Gobeli said. Gobeli owns the Gasthaus in Monroe and Swiss Aire Motel in New Glarus.
Thoman said the Super 8 and AmericInn occupancy volumes have "caught up a little bit."
Jim Glessner, volunteer at the Green County Welcome Center, asked if as much money as in previous years would be available for the board to use. The board receives its funds from a 4 percent tax on gross receipts of hotel and motel charges.
Gobeli had a positive projection for the coming year.
"I think next year is going to be great," he said.
Gobeli said new construction in Monroe, the new justice center, Wal-Mart and Monroe Clinic's 3- to 5-year expansion, would contribute heavily to weekday "heads on beds."
"(Weekday stays) are better than they have been," he said.
Alderman Thurston Hanson also expects the volume of visitors to Monroe to pick up.
Consumers, unsure about the presidential election and the recent bailouts by Congress, have been putting off purchases, Hanson said. He expects a "pent up demand" for purchases, including travel and overnight stays, to come in February through summer 2009.
Continuing discussion and evaluation of funding for present and future events will be kept on the board's agenda.
In a board discussion Wed-nesday regarding re-evaluating present and future projects, Chairman Ron Marsh asked Noreen Rueckert, director of Green County Tourism, to check Minneapolis, Des Moines, Milwaukee and Fox River Valley as locations to direct more mailings and publications advertising local events.
Marsh, Monroe's mayor, wants the board to check other locations and how much should go into those market places.
Rueckert agreed.
"It's time for me to do something more than northwest Chicago," she said.
Rueckert said she has been concentrating this year on two hot topics, bicycling and culinary tourism, as part of a statewide endeavor to draw people to the area.
Cheese and beer are, of course, part of local culinary tourism, and Green County will be one of the 10 counties featured on the television show Discover Wisconsin's episode Hidden Valleys of Southwest Wisconsin, scheduled to air Jan. 24-25.
The board sees past efforts to canvass northwest Chicago suburbs as a success, based on the cost-benefit ratio.
Marsh noted the return cost of investment of 10,000 flyer inserts to the Chicago area at a cost of $3,700.
"That's 10,000 hits at 37 cents a piece, and we know we got a return," he said. "We need to look at increasing that."
The board also asked for full-page ads in the Green County Tourism Guide to include a calendar listing of events. The guide was noted as a popular publication, especially at hotels, motels and the Green County Welcome Center, by board members.
The board pre-approved $1,250 for a two-page ad in the Green County Visitors Guide, on a joint request of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Monroe Main Street.
Members Randy Gobeli and Richard Thoman said the outlook of occupancy rates at their motel and hotel businesses have been up after a downturn earlier this year.
"Our third and fourth quarter were excellent, and have almost caught up (to previous volumes)," Gobeli said. Gobeli owns the Gasthaus in Monroe and Swiss Aire Motel in New Glarus.
Thoman said the Super 8 and AmericInn occupancy volumes have "caught up a little bit."
Jim Glessner, volunteer at the Green County Welcome Center, asked if as much money as in previous years would be available for the board to use. The board receives its funds from a 4 percent tax on gross receipts of hotel and motel charges.
Gobeli had a positive projection for the coming year.
"I think next year is going to be great," he said.
Gobeli said new construction in Monroe, the new justice center, Wal-Mart and Monroe Clinic's 3- to 5-year expansion, would contribute heavily to weekday "heads on beds."
"(Weekday stays) are better than they have been," he said.
Alderman Thurston Hanson also expects the volume of visitors to Monroe to pick up.
Consumers, unsure about the presidential election and the recent bailouts by Congress, have been putting off purchases, Hanson said. He expects a "pent up demand" for purchases, including travel and overnight stays, to come in February through summer 2009.
Continuing discussion and evaluation of funding for present and future events will be kept on the board's agenda.