Wisconsin Tourism Concentrates On Fun

State Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett says they have had to be creative over the years to compete with other Midwest states for visitors. She told KFIZ News they decided to get away from slogans and celebrity ads. She says they had five different slogans over 15 years. She says instead they focused on the number one travel motivator “It’s Fun.” She says this summer’s tourism ad is about the Thompson family, which has gathered year after year at a spot in northern Wisconsin. She says they hail from Illinois, Colorado and some from Wisconsin but for almost 60 years that family has been meeting in a tiny Northwoods town. She says they reconnect during their two week vacation. She says the ad has hit a nerve because the video has had over 4.3 million views. The state’s tourism economy hit $20 billion in 2016, an increase of over $700 million in revenue over 2015 and the most ever for the state.