Appleton – (Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009) The Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (WACVB) awarded the 2009 Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer award to Wisconsin resident and national tourism consultant, Bill Geist, for his role in promoting and advancing Wisconsin’s tourism industry. 

Bill is the President of Zeitgeist Consulting, a firm that has provided consulting services to over 135 Destination Marketing Organizations since 1995.  Bill is also a popular speaker on marketing, trends and customer service topics across North America.  Bill is the past president of the Wisconsin Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and past vice-chair of the Wisconsin Tourism Federation and Wisconsin Governor's Council on Tourism.  In those capacities, he played an important role in reforming Wisconsin’s room tax law and enacting the September 1st k-12 school start date.  Prior to forming Zeitgeist Consulting, Bill served as the CEO of the Greater Madison and Kankakee, IL Convention & Visitors Bureaus.

“Bill is one of the tourism industry’s strongest advocates, here in Wisconsin and across North America,” WACVB Executive Director Julia Hertel said.  “While running the Greater Madison CVB and WACVB, he helped raise the visibility of Wisconsin’s tourism industry and destination marketing organizations.  He continues that effort today.”

Geist joins a prestigious group of past Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer award recipients including former Governor Tommy Thompson, former Governor’s Council on Tourism chair and Tommy Bartlett Show & Exploratory President Tom Diehl, Marcus Corporation’s Bill Otto and Kohler Company CEO Herb Kohler.

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Kelli Trumble joined WACVB in presenting the award to Geist during the WACVB’s 2009 Wisconsin Fall Tourism Convention in Appleton.  They also presented Trailblazer awards to five organizations for outstanding marketing and partnership projects.  Organizations receiving this year’s awards are:

 Door County Visitors Bureau for the Festival of Blossoms Marketing Campaign.  The goal of the campaign was to increase business during April – June and to re-invite, remind and provide incentives to visitors.  The Visitors Bureau successfully worked with area lodging partners to develop an extensive, cooperative e-mail list and Festival of Blossom lodging packages and promotions.  The bureau sent out e-mail newsletters and e-cards to more than 400,000 e-mail addresses and was able to track more than 540 room nights.

 Green County Tourism and New Glarus Chamber of commerce for the Bounty of Green County.  The goal of the event was to promote Green County as an ideal location for cuisine-based tourism experiences with a budget of less than $30,000.  They created a Meet your Maker Vendor Showcase and a five-course feast featuring local foods and beers.  The first-time event resulted in1000 people (57% from outside the county) attending the Meet Your Maker event, a sold-out dinner feast and media coverage throughout the Upper Midwest.

Fox Cities & Greater Green Bay CVB for the 2011 USYSA Midwest Regional Championship bid.  The goal of the project was to work together to put together a bid for a major event that will generate 10,000 room nights at area lodging properties.  The CVBs successfully landed the event, beating out two other destinations.

WACVB presents the Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazers awards each year in an effort to increase the visibility of Wisconsin’s tourism industry and destination marketing organizations.  WACVB represents Wisconsin's top destination marketing organizations and initiates cooperative ventures that enhance the state's tourism industry.