For many people, summer is about travel. As schedules loosen, days grow longer and the weather warms, it is an opportune time to cash in those vacation days and hit the road for distant shores and faraway destinations.
But many Fox Cities residents may not recognize the tourist destination in which they already live. Aside from the obvious draws of Green Bay’s Lambeau Field or Door County’s shoreline, it can be easy to overlook the appeal of our own backyard.
The truth is visitors flocked to the Fox Cities in 2022. Last year visitor spending surged to $558 million, contributing to a year-over-year gain of $92 million and setting records in all five tracked spending categories. In addition to the athletes and spectators who traveled here for tournaments at sports venues like the Community First Champion Center, leisure travelers contributed many of those dollars.
None of this is a fluke, and it certainly didn’t happen overnight. The folks at the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, led by Executive Director Pam Seidl, know this full well. The destination marketing organization has been hard at work positioning the 19-community conglomerate as a place fueled by innovation and originality — a bit off the beaten path but overflowing with one-of-a-kind adventures for the savvy traveler.
Clearly, their efforts are working. Turn to page 22 to read more about how the organization is working to strengthen the Fox Cities economy through tourism.
Speaking of going places: As we look to the future, the ways in which we move are changing. This month’s Insight Insider by Nikki Kallio explores the New North’s ever-expanding electric vehicle ecosystem and the ways local businesses are contributing to its infrastructure. Read more on page 30.
Now is also the time to register for InDevelopment 2023, which is set for Sept. 7 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. We pack so much into this 5-hour event that it is well worth your time to attend. With a commercial development panel, riveting keynote address from urban planner Nik Davis and a powerhouse networking reception, everyone from commercial developers to policymakers will find value in attending.
Whether you have big travel plans or are sticking closer to home, here’s to finding adventure, wonder and connection wherever we choose to look for it.
