The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Weekend Warriors. You know the term. It's the ‘nice' name we give those visitors that come in droves to Forest County every year. We cuss them for the snarls of snail-like traffic they create, for making us wait in line at the grocery store, gas station, restaurant, hotel, tavern or casino. On any given weekend, foreigners transform our quiet communities into busy beehives of activity. We cannot wait for them to beat a hasty retreat back to who-knows-where, restoring the peace and tranquility.

The reason for these invasions is simple. Weekend Warriors crave a temporary escape from their mundane routines. They come in search of that perfect experience that will magically soothe their weary soul.

Perhaps this brief, much needed intermission from life will be bestowed upon them by way of a forest alive with fall color, the crisp, clean beauty of fresh-fallen snow, or the mighty roar of a team of 4 x 4 trucks screaming around turn one.

On occasion, and if you listen very closely, you might hear the call of the Large-billed Out-of-towner during his seasonal migration stay, as it issues an ecstatic screech of victory expressed by one tiny, simple sound: "Bingo!"

In all seriousness, if you've lived in this area all your life, you may not realize just how fortunate you are to live in a lush, colorful, four-season paradise. One need only walk out his/her front door to enjoy the abundance of lakes, rivers, forests and wildlife that teem with recreational possibilities. Who can blame these warriors for wanting what we have every day? But it's more than simply sharing what we treasure. Keep in mind that during these invasions, while the Warriors are soothing the savage soul, they are spending dollars and lots of them. It is these dollars that keep the local economy afloat. Take a moment if you will, and delve into the world of tourism and what it means to the wonder that is Forest County.

The facts, according to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism:

� Tourism is Wisconsin's third largest industry, only exceeded by manufacturing and agriculture.

� Travelers spent an estimated $36 million in Forest County in 2006, an increase of 10 percent from 2005.

� Traveler spending in 2006 supported 922 full-time jobs - up 11 percent from the previous year.

� Estimates show that employees earned $23 million in wages generated from tourist spending, 13 percent above 2005 figures.

� Travelers spent $11 million in Forest County in 1994. In the year 2006 travelers spent $36 million - an increase of 236 percent.

� Taxpaying Wisconsin households would face approximately $950 in additional property taxes every year to maintain existing government services were it not for the revenue generated by tourism.

It can safely be said that no one living in Forest County - one of the few remaining in Wisconsin with no traffic lights - wants drastic change. It is her pristine beauty, magnificent forests, abundant wildlife and rich, diverse culture that we love. To share these precious jewels with others will allow citizens to feed, clothe and house their families. It is incumbent upon us to entice visitors to Forest County and then encourage them to return.

This can only be accomplished in one of two ways: relying on word-of-mouth, or a focused marketing effort. Word-of-mouth is great. There is no better form of advertising, and it shows we've done an outstanding job of making visitors feel comfortable and welcome. It's also slow and you don't know where it's reaching, or to whom it's reaching, and its overall scope is extremely limited. Strength lies in numbers. If the businesses of the county work together, Forest county could be firmly placed on the map of Wisconsin tourism.

There are numerous people within the county hard at work to make this a reality. One entity that plays a key role is the Crandon Area Chamber of Commerce. Melinda Otto, Executive Director, is enthusiastic about the direction the chamber is heading. Otto says, "Even though the chamber is located in Crandon, the ultimate goal is to serve all of Forest County." There's not much that Otto doesn't have her finger on when it comes to local tourism efforts.

Here is an overview of projects in the works:

� Forest County Visitors Guide - The chamber took on the task of updating and refreshing the existing guide that was once put out by the county. Now in its third year, the colorful and informative guide is distributed to area businesses, trade shows, other chambers of commerce and state highway visitor stations.

� Updated Website - The chamber's new Website should be up and running toward the end of March, 2008. It will have a fresh new look much like the visitors guide with a completely downloadable version. The current web address is www.crandonwi.com. Once the new site goes live, the web address will be www.visitforestcounty.com.

� Room Tax - The chamber began discussing the possibility of implementing a room tax for Forest County several years ago, but it's only begun to come together in the last year. On January 1, 2008, Crandon, Lincoln and Wabeno lodging facilities began collecting the 4 1/2 percent room tax from patrons. The monies collected will be forwarded to the respective township. The township keeps 20 percent and forwards 80 percent to a commission whose purpose it is to oversee and disburse the funds for the purpose of promoting tourism. Projections on the revenue to be gained if all townships /entities become involved stands at approximately $98,000 annually. This money could then be used for promotions using print, radio and television, among many other things.

� Discover Wisconsin TV Segment - The chamber was contacted by Discover Wisconsin regarding a four-county ATV promotion, along with Florence, Oconto and Marinette counties. After reviewing their proposal, and after many questions had been answered, chamber board members unanimously voted yes to the project, and to footing the $7,500 bill alone. Filming for the segment was done in Wabeno, Laona, Mole Lake, Argonne and Crandon. The half hour segment will air three times beginning the last week in March 2008. Forest County will also be highlighted at tradeshows, on radio spots and on their Website. For more information visit Discover Wisconsin at www.discoverwisconsin.com.

� Paved Trail System - The city of Crandon has applied for a DOT state grant to help fund a paved trail system. Safety issues due to an increase in pedestrian traffic makes this an ideal development project for the area. The trail could be used for walking, biking and skating, with the hopes of eventually linking up to other community trails. The grant would help provide the funds for easements, acquisitions, planning, development and implementation. Maintenance of the finished trails would be the city's responsibility.

� Updated County Map - The current county map isn't so current. There are several newer streets shown on the map, but with no names listed. The cost of owning the mapping rights would be a minimum of $2,000 and doesn't include production costs for the map itself. According to Otto, the chamber hopes that the room tax will supply the funds needed to get this project underway in the very near future.

� ATV Trails - The Forest County ATV Association has been working diligently toward developing a trails map while negotiating with town governments to make key connections from trail to trail across the county. For more information on trails or events in the area, go to http://forestcountyatvclub.tripod.com.

� Tradeshows - Forest County is represented at three different tradeshows throughout the year: Green Bay Sport Show, Green Bay RV & Camping Show and Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel Sport Show. The chamber will be manning the booth at the Green Bay Sport Show. Any business in Forest County, chamber member or non, is encouraged to drop off brochures or promotional items to the chamber at least one week prior to show if they'd like to be included. Contact the Crandon Area Chamber of Commerce at 715-478-3450 for more details.

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