Hello Volunteers,
I wanted to start with some news we learned of yesterday that made me so incredibly proud of our community and state: Wisconsin now ranks first in the country for vaccine distribution and over the weekend we surpassed over 1 million fully vaccinated residents. Plus, there is declining vaccine hesitancy around the country, and in Wisconsin, and, starting April 5, every Wisconsinite over 16 is eligible for the shot. Despite the recent uptick in cases, all of this makes me so hopeful for the future of our industry, which has worked and is continuing to work so hard to provide safe in-person meetings and events. I hope you'll join me in celebrating such a long-awaited milestone. For anyone that wants to share this good news with your excited networks, VISIT Milwaukee created a graphic and shared it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn yesterday that you can like or share.
March Bookings
In other news that makes me hopeful, our sales team had a very busy March. As of March 30, the team has turned 24 bookings definite, totally 9,765 room nights. Of those room nights, 7,207 room nights are for 2021 and the remaining 2,558 are for 2022. They also sourced out 34 leads for 36,828 rooms nights into future months and years. Kudos to Leslie Johnson and her team!
Milwaukee Recognized in USA Today
Last week we learned that Milwaukee has been recognized by USA Today 10Best voters as one of the best beer cities in the nation! That's right. We're proud of this accolade and you should be, too. Please share with your networks when possible.
We also encourage you to vote for the Historic Third Ward in USA Today's quest to find the best arts district in the neighborhood, and vote for the Milwaukee Public Market for best food hall in the country. You can vote once each day so please vote often! Let's win this food hall award for Milwaukee, and then we can talk up to visitors to come to Milwaukee to experience the Milwaukee Public Market, and make a weekend of eating at amazing food halls at Crossroads Collective, Sherman Phoenix, and coming soon, 3rd Street Market Hall.
Fuel Milwaukee's Thursday Panel
Our own Emily Tau will be speaking on a Fuel Milwaukee panel this Thursday called Race Bridge: The Movement Against Anti-Asian Racism. The panel will cover the panelists' personal experiences with racism and stereotypes, but also about the pride they have in their culture and ways we can as individuals and as a community make change. Register here.
Panels from Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism
If you missed the WIGCOT panels featuring VISIT Milwaukee's Claire Koenig and Emily Tau, you can watch them here:
- Post COVID Destination Marketing: How to Use PR for Destination Recovery
- Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion: Perspectives from Wisconsin DMOs Prioritizing DEAI
State Now Allowing Sale of Cocktails To-Go
Late last week the state legislature passed a law allowing for the sale of alcoholic drinks to-go. While there may not have been much time to prep for this last weekend, we hope you'll take advantage of this going forward. A huge thank you to Kristine Hillmer and her team at the Wisconsin Restaurant Association for their hard work in getting this legislation passed. Margaritas to-go for everyone!
United and Southwest Adds Direct Flight Routes
A huge congratulations to Brian Dranzik and the team at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. United Airlines is adding new nonstop service from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to five popular leisure destinations on the south and east coasts. Beginning May 28, United will fly nonstop from MKE to Charleston, SC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Pensacola, FL; Portland, ME; and Savannah, GA. All five destinations have never had nonstop service from Wisconsin before. The new flights to each of the destinations will generally be offered twice per week for the entire summer, from May 28 through Labor Day weekend.
Today, Southwest Airlines announced that they too would be adding more direct routes. Building on its success serving leisure travelers from Milwaukee, Southwest Airlines is adding new nonstop service from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to Destin - Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) this summer. The new flights will be offered every Saturday from June 12 though August 14 and feature free checked bags and no change fees.
As I have stated before, the more direct flights from our airport is very attractive to meeting planners as well as leisure visitors. As you are planning your next trip, make sure you fly in and out of Milwaukee!!!
Partner Updates
- Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum and the Charles Allis Art Museum reopen tomorrow! Congrats to those teams!
- World Central Kitchen gave $80,000 to feed Milwaukeeans in need at Sherman Phoenix over the weekend. Congratulations to both Sherman Phoenix and Caitlin Cullen from In Tandem.
- Congratulations to Café Corazon on the proposed Brown Deer restaurant!
- Tomorrow is the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts annual Cesar Chavez birthday celebration. This year's event is totally virtual; various cultural organizations will take center stage, demonstrating the excellence and resilience of our arts and education communities.
- We know you've heard a lot about blood drives from us over the past year, but when there is a community need we are elated to see our partner businesses step up to help. This week, Mobcraft Beer hosts a blood drive with the American Red Cross on Thursday.
- Saturday the Saint Kate offers a free 30-minute art tour lead by the hotel's Curator and Art Historian Samantha Timm.
- Join our friends at the Harley-Davidson Museum on Thursday evening as they celebrate women riders and share stories of famous females who ditched the sidecar for the saddle and shaped the arc of motorcycling history - up to present day.
Upcoming Friday Webinars
We have two great webinars coming up the following two weeks. On Friday, April 9th, we will continue our Black Excellence series with a panel discussion with incredible Black female business owners to talk about starting or running their organization during the pandemic. Join Tiffany Miller of Bronzeville Collective and FlyBlooms, Shavonda Sisson of Love On Black Women, and Adija Greer-Smith of Confectionately Yours for this conversation by registering here.
On Friday, April 16, our webinar will be focused on how to recruit hospitality staff, from frontline workers to management-level positions. We will welcome a virtual panel of hospitality experts to provide creative ideas for hiring in this unique time. You can register for this webinar here.
I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend and don't forget to order your holiday brunches before it's too late!
Sincerely,
Peggy
Peggy Williams-Smith
VISIT Milwaukee
President & CEO
(414) 287-4233
pwilliamssmith@milwaukee.org
