Broadband and Tourism

Broadband Toolkit Modules

Boosting Tourism and Small Business Growth Through Broadband

Broadband can significantly bolster regional tourism strategies and support small business development in Wisconsin. A well-designed broadband plan can incorporate placemaking strategies to effectively market and attract tourists to various regions, such as Door County or the Northwoods, while identifying necessary action steps to improve access and availability.

By planning for peak seasons, communities can ensure that both visitors and residents can access essential services, enhancing their experience through resources like destination research and mapping tools, which are vital for exploring attractions like hiking trails or state parks.

Additionally, small business owners in Wisconsin can leverage improved broadband during off-seasons to expand their market reach through e-commerce, connecting with a wider customer base both locally and beyond. Overall, enhanced broadband is crucial for creating vibrant tourist destinations and fostering economic growth in Wisconsin.

A chef in a kitchen looking directly at the camera while prepping food.

Spotlight

Bayfield County Attracts Year-Round Visitors with Broadband

“At her property management company, entrepreneur J Erin Hutchinson has noticed a big change in the importance of broadband to her clients. “People interested in renting a summer cabin didn’t use to ask about high-speed internet,” says Hutchinson. “Now it’s the first question I get.”

Bayfield County, one of Wisconsin’s least populated areas with about 11 people per square mile, exemplifies the impact of broadband. Its main provider, Norvado, a telephone cooperative founded in 1950, transitioned from telephone lines to fiber optic cables, creating a new income stream. With federal broadband grants, Norvado has improved and expanded its infrastructure significantly.

Hutchinson, who moved to the area in 2016 from California’s Silicon Valley, saw that money put to good use. “Just anecdotally, I bet 75% of the people I knew up here five years ago complained about not having broadband,” she says. “Now I can hardly think of anybody.”

-Excerpted from The Road to Rural Broadband – GROW magazine (wisc.edu)

Weave tourism into your broadband planning:

  1. Identify regional priorities for tourism in your region. This may include agritourism, outdoor recreation, cultural tourism, or other investments in placemaking.
  2. Grow small and medium-sized businesses to support tourism in your region and enhance their digital skills.
    1. Provide training to business owners that are not currently online to develop and manage their web presence, market their business, understand and use data analytics,
    2. Work with companies that have been online to upgrade current processes, such as credit card processing.
  3. Improve the tourist experience through access to Wi-Fi at shops, attractions, and public spaces. With reliable high-speed internet, rural regions can better market their attractions, accommodations, and local businesses to a global audience through online platforms and social media. Travelers can easily find and book accommodations, plan itineraries, and access real-time information about local events and activities.
  4. Destination Marketing – Strong broadband networks can greatly aid in destination marketing by promoting regions as attractive tourist spots and helping to attract major events and meetings. Access to data on anticipated traffic increases allows both local establishments and service providers to determine the necessary speeds and service levels needed to support these large-scale events. By combining tourism and broadband planning, regions and counties can demonstrate to providers and grant agencies the significant economic benefits resulting from their investments.

Leveraging Tourism Funds for Broadband

When applying for broadband expansion grants aimed at tourism initiatives, it’s advantageous to include tourism grants as in-kind matching funds. This strategy highlights the connection between tourism and broadband development, showing how improved internet access can enhance local attractions, boost online visibility, and support digital marketing efforts. By emphasizing this synergy, you strengthen your application, demonstrate local commitment, and provide measurable impacts, making a compelling case for funding that promotes long-term economic sustainability in the region.

Key Points to Consider:

  1. Highlighting Synergies: By showcasing tourism grants as matching funds, you illustrate how investments in broadband can directly support tourism efforts. This can include improving online visibility for local attractions, facilitating digital marketing campaigns, and enhancing visitor experiences through reliable internet access.
  2. Strengthening the Application: Including tourism grants as part of the funding mix strengthens your grant application by showing a comprehensive approach to economic development. It reflects a strategic vision that recognizes the importance of both broadband access and tourism in driving regional growth.
  3. Quantifying Impact: Providing data on how enhanced broadband will benefit local tourism—such as increased visitor numbers, longer stays, and higher spending—can bolster your case. This quantifiable impact makes the proposal more compelling to grant reviewers.
  4. Encouraging Collaboration: This approach fosters collaboration between tourism boards and broadband initiatives, encouraging partnerships that can lead to innovative solutions and greater overall community benefits.
  5. Demonstrating Local Commitment: By securing tourism grants as matching funds, you show that there is local commitment to both broadband expansion and tourism development, making your application more attractive to funding bodies looking for community support.
  6. Long-term Sustainability: Highlighting the interconnectedness of these initiatives can also point to a long-term vision for economic sustainability, where improved broadband not only supports tourism but also enables the growth of related sectors, such as hospitality and retail.

Rural Broadband Improves Tourism Through:

  • Enhanced Online Presence for Local Businesses: In regions like the Appalachian Mountains, improved broadband access has enabled local artisans, bed-and-breakfasts, and tour operators to create and maintain robust websites. This increased online visibility attracts more visitors by showcasing unique experiences and local culture. Read more about Erwin, TN Downtown Revitalization and Broadband Expansion.
  • Remote Work Opportunities: Areas like Sandpoint, ID, which is located on a lake and near a popular ski resort, had already begun to see increased remote work migration and extended stays. Remote workers explore local attractions during their time off, contributing to increased tourism revenue for restaurants, shops, and recreational activities. Further reading:
  • Digital Marketing Initiatives: In rural regions of Oregon, enhanced broadband has allowed tourism boards to run effective digital marketing campaigns. These initiatives utilize social media and online advertising to reach broader audiences, resulting in increased visitor numbers to local attractions. Read more about Travel Oregon’s The Digital Marketing Boost Program.
  • Event Promotion and Hotel Registration: Improved connectivity has enabled rural areas to host events, such as festivals and farmer’s markets, with online promotion and registration. Read more on the benefits of websites for small hotels and Bed + Breakfasts.
  • Interactive Visitor Centers: In regions like the Black Hills of South Dakota, enhanced broadband has allowed visitor centers to offer interactive experiences, such as virtual tours and real-time information on local attractions, improving the overall tourist experience and encouraging longer stays. Click to see Jewel Cave Multimedia Presentations.
  • Access to Information: Rural destinations that have improved broadband connectivity can provide tourists with easier access to information about local amenities, attractions, and services through mobile apps and websites. For instance, areas in the Texas Hill Country have developed mobile apps that guide visitors to local wineries and parks. Learn more about the Hill Country App.
  • Support for Outdoor Activities: In rural areas like Colorado’s mountain towns, improved broadband has enabled the development of apps that offer trail maps, weather updates, and safety information for outdoor activities. This enhances the experience for tourists seeking adventure sports. Learn more about Colorado’s Recreation Access Map.

Spotlight

Rural Arkansas Expands Tourism with Broadband

In November 2022, Winrock International was awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development to advance rural broadband and improve tourism infrastructure in four Arkansas Delta communities. This initiative, part of the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge, focuses on the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Highway in the Arkansas-Louisiana-Mississippi corridor. Rooted in the shared musical and arts achievements and bayou culture of this corridor, the project leverages cultural identity and current placemaking efforts. It also incorporates innovative state initiatives focused on enhancing broadband in rural communities and expanding tourism infrastructure.

The project fosters sustainability and resiliency by creating a collaborative, regional network of community leaders and partners. Winrock, along with project partners Connected Nation, Inc., and Crafton, Tull & Associates, LLC, will implement a tiered technical assistance approach. This approach includes Innovation Seed Grants and equips leadership to plan, implement, and sustain innovative placemaking initiatives in communities ready to attract tourism along major routes.

Broadband and Tourism Resources:

Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement’s Touchless Transactions Toolkit

helps rural businesses implement contactless payment solutions. It offers resources and best practices to improve customer safety and convenience, responding to changing consumer preferences. By equipping enterprises with these tools, the toolkit aims to boost efficiency, increase sales, and support local economic resilience, fostering innovation and competitiveness in rural communities.

SBA’s Small Business Digital Alliance

is a collaborative initiative aimed at helping small businesses improve their digital presence. It connects them with resources, tools, and expert guidance for online marketing, e-commerce, and digital operations. By leveraging partnerships, the alliance empowers small businesses to thrive in the digital economy and enhance their competitiveness.

Build, Grow, and Boost Your Small Business Online by Main Street America

is a guide for enhancing small businesses’ online presence. It offers practical strategies for building a website, optimizing online marketing, and using social media effectively to engage customers and drive sales, helping businesses succeed in the digital landscape.

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Destination Marketing Grants

offer funding for local communities to promote tourism. These grants support marketing campaigns, events, and initiatives aimed at increasing visibility and attracting visitors, ultimately driving economic growth and enhancing community tourism assets.

USDA Agritourism Resources

offer tools and information for farmers and rural communities to develop agritourism initiatives. Resources include marketing strategies, safety guidelines, business planning, and funding opportunities, aimed at enhancing visitor experiences and promoting economic development in rural areas.

USDA Rural Placemaking Resources

offer tools and guidance for rural communities to enhance local environments and promote development. These resources focus on creating vibrant public spaces, improving infrastructure, and supporting sustainable practices, including best practices, case studies, and funding opportunities to strengthen community identity and boost local economies.

Expanding broadband to residents also helps the tourism industry:

In 2018, the Chequamegon Communications Cooperative, Inc. submitted an application for a Public Service Commission (PSC) Broadband Expansion grant to deliver Fiber to the Home service to 65 locations in Cable, Wisconsin. Cable is renowned as the starting point of the world-famous Birkebeiner ski marathon. In their application, the cooperative emphasized the critical role that reliable broadband plays in the economic vitality of the region. They highlighted how improved internet access could support the area’s thriving outdoor sports scene, which hosts numerous festivals and events throughout the year, attracting tourists and boosting local businesses. This investment in broadband infrastructure is expected to enhance connectivity for residents and visitors alike, fostering growth and enriching the community’s recreational offerings.

Learn more about the Department of Tourism’s Ready, Set, Go Grant to attract sporting events to your region.

Tourism Partnerships

Successful broadband expansion for tourism requires a collaborative approach. Engaging a diverse range of partners will provide the necessary expertise and resources. By fostering these partnerships, communities can effectively strategize and implement broadband solutions that support and enhance their tourism industry.

Here are key stakeholders to involve:

State Agencies

Agencies like the Department of Tourism and Travel Wisconsin offer essential training resources and funding opportunities. They help market destinations, organize events, and create engaging online content to showcase local attractions, enhancing tourism. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism serves as the central hub for Travel Wisconsin, the Office of Outdoor Recreation, the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Wisconsin Council on Tourism, the Office of Marketing Services, and several committees. Together with industry partners, they make strategic decisions that shape the tourism landscape in Wisconsin.

Agencies responsible for managing public lands and natural resources are vital to tourism. By overseeing activities like hiking, camping, and fishing, they underscore the importance of broadband access for enhancing visitor experiences and ensuring public safety in these areas. Expanding broadband access allows these agencies to better promote and support outdoor activities in Wisconsin, ultimately contributing to economic growth and community well-being in rural areas.

  • In Wisconsin, the Office of Outdoor Recreation, located within the Department of Tourism, serves as a central hub for the state's outdoor industry.
  • County Parks and Recreation Departments: Many counties have their own parks and recreation departments that manage local parks, trails, and recreational facilities. They often organize events and provide resources for outdoor activities.
  • Local Tourism Bureaus: Many local tourism organizations promote outdoor recreation opportunities in their areas. They may highlight hiking, fishing, boating, and other outdoor activities.
  • City or Municipal Recreation Departments: Cities and towns often have recreation departments that offer programs, maintain parks, and organize community events focused on outdoor activities.
  • Recreational Trail Commissions: Some counties have trail commissions focused on maintaining and promoting local trails for activities like hiking, biking, and snowmobiling.
  • Conservation Organizations: Local conservation groups promote outdoor recreation and conservation efforts within their communities.
  • Community Groups: Local organizations, such as hiking clubs or cycling groups, often organize outdoor activities and advocate for the preservation of natural spaces.

Building partnerships with emergency management organizations is essential, especially for large events. Key partners include:

  • The Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM) is a statewide, interoperable land mobile radio system used by local, county, tribal, state, and federal first responders, as well as private EMS organizations, for daily operations and major emergencies. It facilitates connectivity among local communications networks while allowing for statewide interoperability
  • The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), enhance communication infrastructure in rural areas and provide insights for effective emergency response planning. The OEC, located within the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, focuses on providing emergency communication systems and promoting interoperability among public safety stakeholders.

Local tourism and hospitality businesses can share their specific challenges, such as the need for faster broadband to facilitate quick credit card transactions or the desire for training on digital marketing strategies to enhance their online visibility. Their insights will guide tailored solutions that address industry needs.

Engaging personnel from local attractions—such as museums, unique businesses, or scenic locations—can provide valuable insights into how improved broadband can enhance visitor engagement and operational efficiency. Their experiences can inform strategies to leverage technology for better visitor services and marketing.

involving broadband providers early in the discussion is essential for aligning expansion efforts with their annual business planning. This partnership helps them understand the potential benefits of serving specific areas and ensures that their infrastructure plans meet local needs.

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