Media Releases

Wisconsin’s Door County Celebrates Spring in Style
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

19^th Annual Festival of Blossoms Spotlights Orchards, Wildflowers and Special Events April 27 – June 3

Media contact: Jon Jarosh, 920-227-2156 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Imagine thousands of acres of delicate white cherry blossoms, brilliant displays of daffodils or tulips and quiet forests carpeted with wildflowers.  Add to that a variety of events along with special lodging packages complete with dining and activities and you’ve got a memorable Midwestern spring getaway ready to bloom on Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula.

The 19^th annual Door County Festival of Blossoms is a 5-week long celebration of blossoming beauty framed by 300 miles of scenic Lake Michigan shoreline.  Highlighting the festival is the arrival of the peninsula’s renowned cherry blossoms. The county’s 2,000 plus acres of cherry orchards are beginning to bloom in southern sections of this 70-mile long peninsula and should continue through early May, with blossoms spreading northward about 10 miles per day.

To add to the cherry blossoms, since this festival began residents and businesses on this bucolic peninsula have planted more than 2.25 million daffodil and tulip bulbs in public displays and personal gardens while Trillium, native orchids and other wildflowers spread like a colorful blanket through open meadows and forests.

Throughout the spring season many of Door County’s finest inns, resorts and B&B’s offer special lodging packages with value-added items such as gift baskets, dinners for two, winery tours, massages and more.  As an added bonus, get a $25 Door County Gift Certificate upon check-in with any Festival of Blossoms lodging package.

To browse through all the reasons why Door County is a great place to celebrate spring’s splendor, visit the special Festival of Blossoms section on www.DoorCounty.com where you can view a list of special events, download a guide to spring garden map, find out what’s blooming and when, see lodging packages and more. For personal assistance in planning your spring getaway, call the Door County Visitor Bureau at 1-800-527-3529.

Door County is a bucolic peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan in the northeast corner of Wisconsin. One of the top leisure travel destinations in America, Door County features 300 miles of shoreline, over 30 islands, 11 lighthouses and 5 state parks. It is known for its natural beauty, artistic offerings, outdoor recreation and local cuisine and offers scenic seaside experiences in the heart of the Midwest.

#####

DOWNLOADABLE ASSETS

Posted by Door County on 04/24 at 01:59 PM

Visitor Bureau Cleared of Missing Funds Allegation
Thursday, March 29, 2012

Media contact: Jack Moneypenny, Door County Visitor Bureau, 920-227-2154

A recently completed investigation into alleged missing funds at the Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB) concluded that no wrongdoing occurred and all funds were accounted for in the organization.

The investigation, conducted by the Door County Sheriff’s Department as the result of a criminal complaint, concluded that no money at the DCVB is missing and no theft took place.  The Door County law enforcement agency determined the allegation of $41,307 in missing funds during the DCVB’s 2010 fiscal year was the result of an accounting software data corruption issue. This software error caused $41,307 to be allocated to uncategorized expenses in the DCVB’s books.  The DCVB board of directors, the Tourism Zone Commission and an independent auditing firm have also confirmed this is a case of data corruption.

Jack Moneypenny, the President/CEO of the DCVB, said he thought the criminal complaint was the result of a total misunderstanding and that someone must have misread the audit causing concern and the subsequent investigation.

“Based on our own detailed investigation last year, we knew no wrongdoing had occurred,” Moneypenny said,” and we used this opportunity to upgrade our accounting software, strengthen our accounting policies and enhance our financial data back-up procedures.”

“We emerged a stronger organization,” said Bob Dickson, chairman of the DCVB board. “We look forward to exceeding the expectations of our stakeholders in marketing Door County.”

Moneypenny said the organization appreciates the support the community showed over the past month and is looking forward to the upcoming tourism season.

The DCVB is the official tourism marketing organization for the county whose mission is to generate incremental economic impact for the community by attracting visitors with strategies that ensure sustainable tourism.

#####

Posted by Door County on 03/29 at 11:56 AM

Door County CTA of the Year Nominations Being Accepted
Friday, March 23, 2012

Media Contact:  Christine Salmon, Door County Visitor Bureau, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 920-227-2157

The Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB) is accepting nominations for the 2012 Certified Tourism Ambassador of the year award now through April 9.

This year will mark the second year the award will be presented to an area Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) for their exemplary customer service to Door County’s visitors.  Last year, CTA Yvonne Torres was recognized with the honor in Door County’s inaugural CTA of the Year award.

Over 400 CTA’s have been trained in Door County since the DCVB began the local program back in 2009. The local CTA program is part of a national curriculum that trains front line tourism workers and volunteers on such things as customer service, destination knowledge and area tourism resources with the ultimate goal of turning every visitor encounter into a positive experience.

All nominees must be current Door County CTA’s and nominations from employers, co-workers or customers are welcome. Self-nominations are also encouraged. Any local CTA who has gone above and beyond in their interactions with visitors in Door County over the past year are eligible.  Nomination forms are available online at DoorCountyVisitorBureau.org here or by contacting Christine Salmon at 920-227-2157 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

All nominations received will be judged by a committee of local CTA’s and the winner will be announced at Door County’s National Travel & Tourism Week Breakfast, being held on Tuesday, May 8 at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay. The winner will receive a Star Award in recognition of their accomplishment plus a $50 Door County gift certificate.  Additionally, the local winner will move on to the national competition which will see the Tourism Ambassador Institute select a national CTA of the Year winner. The national winner will receive a trip for two anywhere that American Airlines flies in the continental U.S., including coach airfare for two and two nights lodging.

In 2011, Door County awarded Yvonne Torres, Visitor Information Specialist at the Door County Visitor Bureau, the first-ever CTA of the Year Award.  On her nomination application, her co-worker Phil Berndt had this to say about her: “I marvel at her ability to sincerely answer questions as if they were asked for the first time - even though she has answered the same question countless times before and, when someone asks a tough question, she uses her resources to get the right answer for them instead of quickly saying ‘I don’t know.”

Questions about the 2012 Door County CTA of the Year award may be directed to Christine Salmon at the Door County Visitor Bureau at 920-227-2157 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

More than 7,000 CTA’s nationwide have completed the program since its inception in 2006. For more information about the national program, visit www.CTANetwork.com.

The DCVB is the official tourism marketing organization for the county whose mission is to generate incremental economic impact for the community by attracting visitors with strategies that ensure sustainable tourism.

#####

Downloadable Assets:

	Left: downloadable PDF nomination form
	Left: Door County Certified Tourism Ambassador Logo Credit: Door County Visitor Bureau Click to download a high-res JPG version

Posted by Door County on 03/23 at 01:47 PM

Door County’s 2012 Media Marketing Program Kicks Off This Weekend
Monday, February 20, 2012

Media Contact:  Jon Jarosh, Door County Visitor Bureau, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 920-227-2156

The Door County Visitor Bureau’s successful media marketing program begins its 2012 press tours this weekend.

The county’s destination marketing organization uses the public relations program to invite and welcome credentialed travel writers to Door County from throughout the Midwest and across the country to see and experience firsthand all the area has to offer.  Hosting travel journalists here leads to a wide variety of editorial coverage for Door County in regional, national and even international media outlets.

The first of five scheduled group editorial press trips this year begins Thursday and runs through Sunday February 26.  Since 2007, the Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB) has partnered with Geiger & Associates Public Relations to help coordinate the organization’s media marketing program.  This year, the DCVB will welcome a minimum of 70 travel journalists to Door County as part of their Communications & Public Relations department’s initiatives.  Additional press trips in 2012 are scheduled for May 17-20, June 25-29, September 20-23 and October 8-12.

Jon Jarosh, the DCVB’s Director of Communications & Public Relations, said the program has been very well received by both journalists and Door County tourism industry partners. 

“The travel journalists that visit as part of our media marketing program are truly amazed at the diversity of Door County’s tourism product offerings,” Jarosh said. “They really enjoy being able to travel around the county and participate in a variety activities visitors can experience here. In turn, they write about their positive experiences and the things they do in the media outlets they represent. This program has shown tremendous returns in terms of the earned media coverage Door County has received, and I think tourism partners that have hosted journalists during our press tours would agree.”

Since the DCVB’s media marketing program first began back in the summer of 2007, 359 travel journalists have visited Door County on 25 different press tours.  As a result of their visits, to date those journalists have written 695 articles/stories about Door County with an audience of 132,606,451 readers/listeners/viewers. The ad value equivalency of those articles, had the DCVB paid for the advertising space, would have been nearly $5.3 million dollars.

The first press tour of 2012 that will take place Thursday through Sunday has 15 travel journalists scheduled to visit the county. The journalists represent both regional and national media outlets, and will be participating in a wide variety of activities during the trip.

“Our media marketing program has really done a lot to build awareness for the county,” Jarosh continued. “The support we’ve gotten from our local tourism partners has been tremendous, and their enthusiasm for hosting journalists has really been a key factor in getting us the quality media coverage we’ve received.  I’m looking forward to another great year of press tours and the resulting earned media coverage for Door County.”

The DCVB is the official tourism marketing organization for the county whose mission is to generate incremental economic impact for the community by attracting visitors with strategies that ensure sustainable tourism.

#####

ACCOMPANYING PHOTOS - click image to download a high-res version.

	LEFT: Bob Desh of the Door County Maritime Museum gives a guided tour of the tug John Purves in Sturgeon Bay to journalists during a May 2011 Door County Visitor Bureau press trip.  Door County Visitor Bureau photo.
	LEFT: Joel Bremmer from Good Eggs in Ephraim explains his breakfast cabanna's menu to a group of journalists during a May 2011 Door County Visitor Bureau press trip.  Door County Visitor Bureau photo.
	LEFT: Dick Purinton from the Washington Island Ferry Line welcomes journalists to Washington Island shortly after they got off the ferry during a June 2011 Door County Visitor Bureau press trip.  Door County Visitor Bureau photo.
	LEFT: Bay Shore Outdoor Store kayak instructors give journalists safety orientation prior to kayaking along the Door Bluff Headlands shoreline during a June 2011 Door County Visitor Bureau press trip.  Door County Visitor Bureau photo.
	LEFT: Now retired Rock Island State Park Superintendent Kirby Foss talks to journalists inside the Thordarson Boathouse on Rock Island during a June 2011 Door County Visitor Bureau press trip.  Door County Visitor Bureau photo.

Posted by Door County on 02/20 at 03:41 PM

Monthly Archives

• May 2013
• April 2013
• March 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• December 2012
• November 2012
• October 2012
• August 2012
• July 2012
• June 2012
• May 2012
• April 2012
• March 2012
• February 2012
• January 2012
• December 2011
• November 2011
• October 2011
• September 2011
• August 2011
• July 2011
• June 2011
• May 2011
• April 2011