IN
WISCONSIN
SPEND
AN
%AVERAGE
OF $18 BILLION A YEAR
ON
%OUTDOOR
PURSUITS.
%THAT'S ACCORDING TO
THE%DEPARTMENT OF
TOURISM,
WHICH
IS
%LOOKING
TO
EXPAND
ON
THAT
IDEA.
%IN
TONIGHT'S INSIDE
LOOK, ZAC
%SCHULTZ
SAT DOWN
WITH
TOURISM
%DESIGNEE SARA
MEANEY
IN
AN
%ONGOING SERIES
WHERE
WE
HEAR
%FROM GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS
CABINET
%MEMBERS
, FIRST
ASKING
WHAT
THE
%OFFICE PLANS TO
DO.%>>
WHAT
WE'VE
SEEN
AROUND
THE
%COUNTRY IS
ACTUALLY
A
TREND
OF
%GREATER FOCUS
ON
OUTDOOR
%RECREATION AND THE
SAME IS
TRUE
%IN
WISCONSIN.
%WISCONSIN RELIES
REALLY
HEAVILY
%ON
OUTDOOR
RECREATION
AND
OVER%$18 BILLION OF
ECONOMIC
IMPACT
%IS
DIRECTLY AS A RESULT
OF
%OUTDOOR
RECREATION
AND 168,000
%JOBS IN
THE
STATE
ARE
DIRECTLY
%RECREATION RELATED.
%SO
IT'S
TAKING AN
EXISTING
%STRENGTH
AND
CONNECTING MORE
%ENTITIES,
ORGANIZATIONS
AND
%ACTIVITIES
TOGETHER
TO
BUILD
%UPON
THAT
STRENGTH
AND
BUILD
%GREATER ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY.
%SO REALLY
WE'RE
LOOKING TO
BUILD
%MORE
JOBS,
ATTRACT
MORE
%BUSINESSES, INCREASE
COMMUNITY
%CONNECTIVITY AS A RESULT
OF
%OUTDOOR RECREATION
AND OF
COURSE
%ATTRACT MORE
VISITORS.%>>
TOURISM
ALREADY
PROMOTED THE
%OUTDOORS SO WHY DO
YOU NEED
A
%NEW OFFICE
TO DO
THAT?%>>
THIS IS
TRUE.
%OUTDOOR RECREATION HAS ALWAYS%
BEEN A
PART OF
THE
STORY WE'VE
%BEEN
TELLING
COMING OUT
OF
%TOURISM.
%THE OFFICE
OF
OUTDOOR
RECREATION
%DOESN'T EXIST
SOLELY
TO
PROMOTE
%OUTDOOR
RECREATION,
INSTEAD
IT'S
%ACTUALLY MEANT
TO
UPLIFT
AND
%CONNECT THE
PARTIES THAT
%ACTUALLY
WORK TOGETHER
TO
ENSURE
%THE
SUCCESS
AND
GROWTH OF
THE
%OUTDOOR
REC
INDUSTRY, SO THINK
%OF
IT
AS
AN
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
%ACTIVITY AS WELL AS
A
%PROMOTIONAL
ACTIVITY,
BUT
%ULTIMATELY IT'S
ABOUT
BRINGING
%MORE PEOPLE
TO
THE
TABLE
TO
%SHARE
GOALS.%>>
SO IS
THIS
FOCUS
MORE
ON OUT
%OF
STATE
OR
IN-STATE
PEOPLE?%>>
ACTUALLY
THE
ANSWER
IS
BOTH.
%SO WE KNOW
ABOUT
JUST
UNDER
70%
%OF
WISCONSINITES PARTICIPATE
IN
%OUTDOOR RECREATION ACTIVITIES ON
%A
REGULAR
BASIS BUT
WE
ALSO KNOW
%IT'S
THE
NUMBER ONE
REASON
%PEOPLE COME
TO
THE STATE OF%WISCONSIN FROM OUT
OF STATE.
%SO
THOSE TWO
THINGS
TOGETHER
%ONLY MAKE
SENSE
THA
T
WE
WANT
TO
%PUT AN
ADDITIONAL FOCUS ON
THAT
%AND
PUT
OUR
MONEY
WHERE OUR
%MOUTH
IS,
REALLY.
%WE
SHOULD BE
USING
MORE
DATA,
WE
%SHOULD
BE
FOCUSING
ON
RESEARCH,
%WE SHOULD
BE
LOOKING
TO
%OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE
MORE
%COLLABORATION AMONG
ENTITIES
%THAT ARE
ALREADY
DOING
SIMILAR
%WORK, OR
WHO
CAN
BENEFIT
FROM
%EACH
OTHER'S
EXPERTISE.%>> IS THERE A
SHIFT
IN
%PHILOSOPHY FOR
THE DEPARTMENT OF
%TOURISM
COMPARED TO
THE
LAST%EIGHT
YEARS
UNDER
GOVERNOR
%WALKER?%>>
I
MEAN,
I
THINK
THAT'S
HAR
D
%TO COMMENT ON.
%WHAT I
CAN
SAY
IS ONE OF
THE
%THINGS
WE'RE
FOCUSING
ON
MOVING
%FORWARD IS
MAKING
SURE
THAT WE
%HAVE
THE
BEST
DATA AND
THE
BEST
%INFORMATION
WE
CAN
TO
MAKE
GREAT
%DECISIONS ON
BEHALF OF
THE
%TAXPAYERS OF
THE STATE OF%WISCONSIN.
%I
MEAN,
PRIMARILY
THE
WORK
THAT
%WE D
O
OUT OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF
%TOURISM
IS
DRIVE
ECONOMIC
%GROWTH,
IT'S
AN
ECONOMIC
ENGINE,
%IT'S
THE THIRD
LARGEST
INDUSTRY
%WHEN YOU
LOOK
AT
TOURISM AS
A
%COMPOSITE
INDUSTRY,
AND
IT'S
%NEARLY 200,000 JOBS.
%SO
WHAT
IT
REALLY
IS,
IS
IT'S
A
%PLAY TO
ENSURE
THE
SUCCESS AND
%HEALTH OF
A
MAJOR
INDUSTRY
IN
%OUR
STATE
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME%MUCH OF O
UR
ACTIVITY
IS
ABOUT
%PROMOTING
AWARENESS
AND
%PARTICIPATION AMONG
TRAVELERS.%>>
ACCORDING TO
THE WISCONSIN
%STATEWIDE
COMPREHENSIVE
OUTDOOR
%RECREATION
PLAN, WE
NEED
TO
FIND
%MORE
PLACES
FOR
PEOPLE
LIVING
IN
%OUR
CITIES
TO
ENJOY
THE
%OUTDOORS.%IS THAT
SOMETHING
THAT
THIS
%OFFICE
WILL
LOOK AT
OR IS
THAT
A
%DIFFERENT
AREA
?
%>>
WELL,
THE
SCORE
YOU'RE
%REFERENCING
CERTAINLY COMING
OUT%OF
THE
DNR
IS
AN
IMPORTANT
PIECE
%THAT WILL
GUIDE
THE OFFICE
OF
%OUTDOOR RECREATION.%THIS IS
NOT
MEANT
T
O
ACTUALLY
%DUPLICATION BUT
INSTEAD
WORK
I
N
%COLLABORATION WITH
AND
IN
%PARALLEL WITH THE PLAN
THAT
IS
%ALREADY IN
PLACE
ON
BEHALF OF
%THE DNR.
%SO THE
WORK
WILL
NOT
BE
SO
MUCH
%OVERLAPPING AS IT
WILL
BE
%BUILDING OFF
OF ONE
ANOTHER.
%I WORK
VERY
CLOSELY
WITH
THE
%SECRETARY OF
THE
DNR.
%HE
AND
I
ARE VERY
MUCH IN
%AGREEMENT THAT
OUR
WORK
IS
ABOUT
%COLLABORATION, SO I'M
LOOKING%FORWARD
TO
BEING
ABLE
TO
TAKE
%WHAT IS
SUCH
A
STRENGTH
OF
DNR
%AND THEIR
KNOWLEDGE
OF
OUR
LANDS
%AND
WATERS
AND
THEN
ADDING
TO
%THAT A
LAYER
OF
PROMOTION
AND
%ENGAGEMENT FROM AROUND THE
%STATE.
%GLL A
LOT
OF
!
A
LOT
OF
TOURISM
ADS
THAT
WE'VE
%SHOWCASED SEEMS TO BE
DRIVING
%PEOPLE
TO THE
OUTDOORS,
THE
%RURAL
ENVIRONMENT,
THE
NORTH
%WOODS.
%DOES THERE
NEED TO BE
A
SHOWCASE%MORE ON
WHAT WE
HAVE
I
N
OUR
%URBAN
AREAS?%>>
WELL, I
MEAN,
THAT'S
ALWAYS
%AN
IMPORTANT BALANCE THAT WE
%HAVE
TO
STRIKE,
?
%CERTAINLY THE TWO
LARGEST
%VISITATION CENTERS
OF
OUR
STATE
%ARE
THE TWO
LARGEST
CITIES
OF
%OUR
STATE,
SIMPLY
BY
VOLUME.
%HOWEVER, WE
ALSO
KNOW
THAT --
%RESEARCH TELLS US
THAT THE
%AWARENESS
OF
ESPECIALLY
%NON-WISCONSINITES, THE
AWARENESS
%OF
OUR
CULTURAL
HERITAGE,
%MUSEUMS AND, YOU NO
HE, FOOD AND
%SORT
!
KNOW, FOOD
AND
CITY
ATTRACTIONS IS
ACTUALLY%LOWER THAN IT
SHOULD BE.
%THAT'S NOT TO SAY
THAT
THE
%EFFORTS HAVEN'T
BEEN THERE TO
DO
%THAT
OR
THAT
THE
FOCUS
HAS
ONLY
%EVER BEEN
ON
OUTDOOR
RECREATION.
%WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS
WE
STRIKE
A
%BALANCE
SO
PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND
THE
%FULL BREATH
OF
WHAT IT IS
WE
%HAVE TO
OFFER.
%HOW
DOES
THAT PLAY
OUT?
%NO ONE
VISITOR GOES
TO
A
NEW
%PLACE
TO
DO ONE THING.
%THEY WANT TO
DO
A
VARIETY OF
%THINGS, AND
THE
GOOD
NEWS
IS,
%WISCONSIN
HAS
INCREDIBLE
%ACTIVITIES
BOTH
INSIDE
AND
%OUTSIDE, AND
ALL FOUR
SEASONS OF%THE YEAR.
%SO
THAT'S
WHAT OUR
WORK
IS
GOING
%TO
BE
FOCUSING
ON.
%CERTAINLY THAT MEANS
MOVING%PEOPLE AROUND THE
STATE,
NOT
%SIMPLY
STAYING
IN ONE
AREA.%>>
THE REPORT
TALKED
ABOUT
THE
%GROWING
POPULATIONS IN
BOTH
THE
%LA
10X
AND
AFRICAN-AMERICAN%COMMUNITIES IN W
ISCONSIN.
%WHAT ARE YOU
DOING
TO
REACH
OUT
%TO
THOSE COMMUNITIES?
%>>
THAT'S
GREAT.
%SO WE
HAVE A
LOT
OF
WORK TO
DO.
%WISCONSIN IS
ACTUALLY
FALLING
%BEHIND ITS
NEIGHBORS IN
TERMS
OF
%ATTRACTING
VISITORS
OF
COLOR.
%IT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE
NEED TO
%DO
INTENTIONALLY AND WITH
EYES
%WIDE OPEN.
%WE
WILL
BE
SEEKING IN
THE
FUTURE
%INPUT FROM
A
MUCH
MORE
DIVERSE
%GROUP OF
PEOPLE
TO
HELP
ADVISE
%US
AND
THE
BEST
WAYS
TO
DO
THAT.
%THAT'S
THE
RESPONSIBILITY
OF
OUR
%ATTRACTIONS
AND
OUR
REGIONS
TO
%ENSURE A
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT%BUT ALSO
MAKE
SURE WE'RE
%OFFERING
THE
THINGS TO
DO
THAT
%PEOPLE
ARE
LOOKING
TO
PARTAKE
%IN.
%AND
AGAIN,
DATA AND
RESEARCH IS
%HELPING
US
UNDERSTAND
THAT
EVEN
%BETTER, AND THEN
WE
CAN
ALIGN
%HOW
WE
PROMOTE
OURSELVES
AND
HOW
%WE
ACTUALLY DEVELOP
OUR
%ATTRACTIONS.%>> WHEN
YOU LOOK AT
THE
TRAVEL
%WISCONSIN
WEBSITE,
YOU
SEE
%MOSTLY WHITE
PEOPLE
AND
WHITE
%FAMILIES
ENJOYING
THINGS.
%AND WHEN
THERE
ARE
%REPRESENTATIONS OF PEOPLE OF
%COLOR, IT'S OFTEN
IN
AN
URBAN
%ENVIRONMENT
DOING
URBAN
THINGS.
%WOULD
YOU
WANT
PEOPLE
OF
COLOR,
%COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
TO
G
O
%CAMPING, GO TO
THE
NORTH
WOODS,
%TAKE
UP
FISHING
AND
HUNTING?%>>
ABSOLUTELY.
%ABSOLUTELY.
%WE
ACTUALLY
KNOW
PEOPLE
ALREADY
%DO.
%THE
PARTICIPATION
IN
OUTDOOR
%ACTIVITIES IS
KIND
OF
WITHOUT
%COLOR,
BUT
NOT
IN
ALL
EQUAL
%PARTICIPATION
RATES.
%SO WHAT
WE
HAVE T
O
D
O
IS
KEEP
IN
%MIND THAT
NOT
EVERYONE
DOES
ALL
%SAME THINGS AT THE
SAME
RATES,
%AND YET
OUR
OFFERING
IS
%AVAILABLE TO
ALL
AND
NEEDS
TO BE
%WELCOMING TO
ALL,
AND
THAT
WORK
%IS STILL
AHEAD
OF
US.
%>>
THE
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED%SENATE HAS
YET
T
O
CONFIRM
ANY
OF
%GOVERNOR
EVERS' CABINET
%SECRETARIES, YOU
INCLUDED.
%DOES
THAT
IMPACT
HOW
YOU'RE ABLE
%TO D
O
YOUR
JOB?%>>
NO,
FRANKLY
IT
DOES NOT.
%I'M
CERTAINLY
EXCITED
TO
GET
THE
%STAMP OF
APPROVAL
WHEN
THAT
%COMES
AROUND,
BUT
M
Y
DAY
IS
%STILL
EXACTLY
WHAT IT
WAS
%INTENDED TO BE.
%I'M
STILL AT
THE TABLE
DOING
THE
%WORK I SAID
I
WAS HERE TO DO.
%IT
HASN'T
CHANGED
ANYTHING,
AND
%I
THINK I'M
REALLY
PROUD OF
THE
%WORK
WE'VE
DONE
IN
BASICALLY
%6 1/2 SHORT MONTHS.
%WE'VE
ACHIEVED QUITE
A
BIT
AND
I
%THINK THE
TOURISM
INDUSTRY
WOULD
%AGREE
WITH
THAT.
%SO
LOOKING
FORWARD TO
THAT.%>>
DO
YOU
THINK
THE
LACK
OF
%CONFIRMATION GIVES THE
SENATE
%ANY MORE
LEVERAGE
OVER
ANY
%DECISION
YOU
MIGHT MAKE IS THIS%>>
I
DON'T BELIEVE
SO,
NO.
%I
THINK
MY
WORK
STANDS
FOR
%ITSELF AND THE
WORK OF
THE
%DEPARTMENT IS
GUIDED
BY
A
%STRATEGIC PLAN THAT
RECEIVED
%INPUT
FROM,
YOU
KNOW, A
LOT
OF
%PEOPLE FROM
AROUND
THE
STATE
%WITHIN THE
TOURISM
INDUSTRY
SO
%FRANKLY
TOURISM
IS
NON-PARTISAN.
%IT'S NOT
RED,
IT'S NOT
BLUE,
%IT'S GREEN.
%IT'S
ABOUT MONEY.
%IT'S ABOUT
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
%AND THAT
HELPS
EVERYONE
AND
THAT
%AFFECTS 72 COUNTIES OF OUR
%STATE.%>> THANK YOU VERY MUC
H FOR YOUR