41.01(2)
(2) "Secretary" means the secretary of tourism.
41.01 History
History: 1995 a. 27.
TOURISM PROMOTION
41.11(1)(1)
General Duties. The department shall:
41.11(1)(a)
(a) Stimulate, promote, advertise and publicize tourism to the state by those who live in other states and foreign countries.
41.11(1)(b)
(b) Promote travel by citizens of this state to this state's scenic, historic, natural, agricultural, educational and recreational attractions.
41.11(1)(c)
(c) Create an accurate national and international image of the state.
41.11(1)(d)
(d) Encourage all tourism-related businesses to participate in available education programs.
41.11(1)(e)
(e) Encourage and cooperate with communities, groups and individuals in the state in pursuing the tourism promotion objectives of the department.
41.11(1)(f)
(f) Coordinate and stimulate the orderly and ecologically sound development of commercial tourist facilities throughout the state.
41.11(1)(g)
(g) Promote the growth of the tourism and recreation industry through research, planning and assistance.
41.11(1)(h)
(h) Annually report to the senate natural resources committee and the assembly committee on tourism the activities, receipts and disbursements of the division of tourism for the previous fiscal year.
41.11(2)
(2) Sales. The secretary shall annually formulate, in consultation with the 5 members of the council on tourism selected under
s. 41.12, a statewide marketing strategy, which is a plan for marketing and promotion of the facilities and attractions of the state for the ensuing year. The department shall implement the plan. The department shall cooperate with the commercial recreation industry to assure coordination with private plans and programs, and may assist in the development and marketing of combined recreational opportunities such as package tours, convention and trade show facilities and special transportation arrangements.
41.11(3)
(3) Services. The department shall assist the consumers and the suppliers of recreational opportunities in the state. The department may:
41.11(3)(a)
(a) Collect and disseminate information as to the facilities, advantages and attractions of the state, including historic, scenic and other points of interest.
41.11(3)(b)
(b) Provide timely information regarding weather, transportation facilities, hunting, fishing, boating, motoring, snowmobiling and skiing conditions and other subjects of interest to those seeking recreational opportunities in the state.
41.11(3)(c)
(c) Establish, manage and operate permanent or temporary tourist information centers along major highways into the state.
41.11(3)(d)
(d) Provide advice and service to persons or groups engaged in the recreation industry.
41.11(3)(e)
(e) Conduct research into the status and needs of the recreation industry.
41.11(3)(f)
(f) Operate a reservations service for recreational facilities in the state.
41.11(3)(g)
(g) Provide planning and coordinating assistance to tour operators, convention and trade show managers.
41.11(4)
(4) Advertising. The department shall plan and conduct a program of advertising and promotion designed to attract interested persons to this state and to stimulate the enjoyment of its recreational opportunities by residents and nonresidents alike. Any contracts engaging a private agency to conduct an advertising or promotion program under this subsection shall reserve to the department the right to terminate the contract if the service is unsatisfactory to the department. The department shall encourage and coordinate the efforts of public and private organizations to publicize the facilities and attractions of the state for the purpose of stimulating their enjoyment by residents and tourists.
41.11(5)(a)(a) The department shall distribute cheese that was donated, or purchased from donations received under
par. (c), free of charge to the public each year from the 2nd to last Monday in May to the first Monday in September at each tourist information center operated by the department in this state except the tourist information center located in Madison.
41.11(5)(b)
(b) Cheese distributed under
par. (a) shall be in packages of one ounce or less and shall be manufactured in Wisconsin.
41.11(5)(c)
(c) The department shall accept cheese, and refrigeration equipment and gifts, grants, bequests and devises, for the purpose of implementing this subsection. If there is an insufficient amount of cheese available to implement this subsection, the department shall contact potential donors for donations. The department shall return any surplus cheese to the donor.
41.11 History
History: 1975 c. 39,
163,
200;
1983 a. 92;
1987 a. 1;
1995 a. 27 s.
6918; Stats. 1995 s. 41.11.
41.12
41.12
Council on tourism. 41.12(1)(1) The council on tourism shall advise the secretary on matters relating to tourism. Five members of the council on tourism shall assist the secretary in formulating a statewide marketing strategy. The 5 members shall be selected by a vote of the council on tourism from among the members, other than ex officio members, of the council on tourism.
41.12(2)
(2) The council on tourism shall develop a plan to assist and encourage private companies located in this state to promote this state in their advertisements. Upon the adoption of a plan by the council on tourism, the secretary shall consider implementing the plan.
41.12(3)
(3) The council on tourism shall consider the use of famous residents and former residents of this state in the tourism marketing strategies.
41.12 History
History: 1987 a. 1;
1995 a. 27 s.
6919; Stats. 1995 s. 41.12.
41.14
41.14
Offices. The department may establish tourism offices, within or without the state, as necessary to carry out its duties. Wisconsin residency may not be required of classified employes staffing tourism offices located outside the state.
41.14 History
History: 1975 c. 39,
163,
200;
1995 a. 27 s.
6920; Stats. 1995 s. 41.14.
41.15
41.15
Film promotion. 41.15(1)(1) In this section, "film" means any product created using any technology for the recording, storage and reproduction of audiovisual material.
41.15(2)
(2) The department shall encourage persons to produce films which will enhance the image of this state and its communities and countryside. To carry out this purpose, it shall:
41.15(2)(a)
(a) Prepare and distribute promotional and informational materials identifying factors which make it desirable to produce films in this state and describing the services available from local and state governmental units and from the private sector in this state.
41.15(2)(b)
(b) Help persons secure licenses and permits, and provide other appropriate services, related to film production.
41.15(2)(c)
(c) Help persons obtain cooperation from local, state and federal governmental units and from the private sector in order to produce films.
41.15(2)(d)
(d) Coordinate its activities with the activities of similar bodies created by local governmental units in this state.
41.15(3)
(3) It may apply for, receive and spend grants and donations to fund its operations.
41.15 History
History: 1987 a. 27,
403;
1995 a. 27 s.
6921; Stats. 1995 s. 41.15.
41.17
41.17
Joint effort marketing. 41.17(2)
(2)
Eligibility. Any public or private organization not organized or incorporated for profit may apply to the department for joint effort marketing funds under this section. Prior to applying for such funds, each prospective applicant shall have submitted, at the time and in the manner provided by departmental rule, a plan and budget specifying the media to be used, the market to be approached, the facilities and attractions to be promoted and the applicant's estimated expenditures and receipts for the various projects within the plan. If such plan is coordinated with the statewide marketing strategy, the department shall approve it and the submitting organization shall be eligible to apply for joint effort marketing funds under this section.
41.17(3)
(3) Written agreements. Each joint effort marketing project shall be implemented by a written agreement between the department and the applicant organization, which shall specify at a minimum:
41.17(3)(a)
(a) The name, address and contact person for the applicant and its advertising agency, if any.
41.17(3)(b)
(b) A description of the project, including the media to be used, the date or inclusive dates and the geographic market to be reached.
41.17(3)(c)
(c) An itemized statement of the estimated total costs of the project.
41.17(3)(d)
(d) An itemized statement of the revenues accruing to the applicant from the project through advertising, contributions and other sources.
41.17(3)(em)
(em) The conditions for the release of the joint effort marketing funds under this section.
41.17(4)(a)(a) No state funds may be released for a project which is not included within an advertising plan and budget submitted by an eligible organization and approved by the department.
41.17(4)(b)
(b) No funds may be released except in accordance with the agreement concluded under
sub. (3).
41.17(4)(c)
(c) Funds released in any given project may not exceed 50% of the total project costs, less that portion of the amounts recovered by the applicant through the sale of advertising or other promotional considerations in connection with the project which exceeds 50% of the total project costs.
41.17(4)(d)
(d) No funds may be used to compensate any officer or employe of the applicant for salaries or expenses.
41.17(4)(e)
(e) No name or picture of any living state or local public official or candidate for public office may be used in any project for which state funds are received under this section.
41.17(4)(f)
(f) No payments may be released except upon presentation of receipted vouchers for project expenditures by the applicant, together with such other documentary evidence substantiating payments and the purposes for which the payments were made as the departmental rules require.
41.17(4)(g)
(g) The department may promulgate rules imposing additional requirements to ensure that public funds are used to promote the maximum number of attractions and facilities.
41.17 History
History: 1975 c. 39,
163,
200;
1991 a. 39;
1995 a. 27 s.
6922; Stats. 1995 s. 41.17.
41.19
41.19
Heritage tourism pilot program. 41.19(1)(a)
(a) "Heritage tourism" means tourism that has as its primary object the enjoyment of historic and prehistoric resources.
41.19(1)(c)
(c) "Political subdivision" means a county, city, village or town.
41.19(2)
(2) In consultation with the historical society, the department shall establish, administer and coordinate state and local participation in a heritage tourism pilot program to assist political subdivisions in assessing the resources available for heritage tourism, analyzing current interest in heritage tourism and developing and implementing plans to increase heritage tourism. The department shall do all of the following:
41.19(2)(b)
(b) Employ, in the state classified service, staff for the heritage tourism pilot program.
41.19(2)(c)
(c) With the assistance of the committees created by the secretary under
sub. (3), develop a plan establishing objectives for the heritage tourism pilot program.
41.19(2)(e)
(e) Provide information and technical assistance to political subdivisions that are not located within areas selected to participate in the heritage tourism pilot program.
41.19(2m)(a)(a) With the advice of the committees created by the secretary under
sub. (3), the department may select, upon application, no more than 2 areas of the state in a fiscal biennium to participate in the heritage tourism pilot program. Each area selected may consist of any part or all of one or more political subdivisions.
41.19(2m)(b)
(b) For selecting areas of the state under
par. (a), the department shall establish criteria that include at least all of the following considerations:
41.19(2m)(b)1.
1. Whether an area contains a political subdivision or a nonprofit organization that has an interest or experience in preserving and promoting the area's historic or prehistoric resources.
41.19(2m)(b)3.
3. Whether the applicant on behalf of an area has the ability to provide the match required under
par. (c) 1.
41.19(2m)(b)4.
4. The desirability of preserving an area's historic or prehistoric resources to promote tourism in the area.
41.19(2m)(c)
(c) Subject to
par. (d), from the appropriation under
s. 20.380 (1) (bm), the department shall award a grant to the applicant on behalf of an area of the state selected under
par. (a) if all of the following apply:
41.19(2m)(c)1.
1. The applicant contributes cash, from a source other than the state, in an amount that equals the amount of the grant.
41.19(2m)(c)2.
2. The applicant uses the grant proceeds and the matching cash contribution under
subd. 1. only to promote heritage tourism within the area.
41.19(2m)(d)
(d) The department may not award more than one grant per fiscal year to an applicant on behalf of an area under
par. (c) and may not award grants to the applicant for more than 2 fiscal years. Grants awarded to an applicant under
par. (c) may not exceed $25,000 in the first fiscal year, or $15,000 in the 2nd fiscal year, in which the applicant receives a grant.
41.19(3)
(3) The secretary shall exercise his or her authority under
s. 15.04 (1) (c) to create one or more committees to advise the department on issues related to the operation of the heritage tourism pilot program. The secretary shall create a sufficient number of committees, as determined by the secretary, to address each major type of heritage tourism that is the focus of the heritage tourism pilot program. The secretary shall appoint at least 2 members of each committee created under this subsection from a list of names submitted by the director of the historical society.
41.19 History
History: 1989 a. 237;
1993 a. 16;
1995 a. 27 s.
6923; Stats. 1995 s. 41.19.
41.21
41.21
Marketing clearinghouse. 41.21(1)
(1) The department shall establish and maintain a marketing clearinghouse to provide marketing services to all state agencies. The department may enter into an agreement with a state agency for a specific project or to provide specific products. The department may provide consulting services to a state agency, including any of the following:
