New De Soto Area Tourism Commission aims to “attract more visitors … and have them spend their recreational, overnight lodging dollars on local businesses”
by Julie Berg-Raymond
When a group of people in the Village of De Soto, WI were trying to come up with a phrase that described the area in succinct and compelling terms, it was because they wanted to capture the attention of folks looking for a break in their increasingly complex and information-glutted lives - a place to sojourn in peace and quiet, without it involving a remote mountaintop or a deserted island … a place with plenty of trees and water and starlit nights, but also wi-fi access and a world-class pizza.
Enter the founding members of the De Soto Area Tourism Commission - who nailed it, with the tagline “Near everything, away from it all.” The website for the Village of De Soto elaborates: “… the De Soto area is packed full of opportunities for enjoying outdoor sports, relaxing at a campsite, exploring natural wonders, experiencing history, finding great food and drink, and making new friends” (desotowi.com).
What is especially attractive about this newly formed tourism commission is that it’s all about using tourism revenue itself, to further enhance the area as a tourism destination. By collecting a Room Tax on places of lodging in its tax jurisdiction (and by applying for grants from the Wisconsin State Tourism Commission), the De Soto Area Tourism Commission will be well situated to make improvements on its parks and roads, expand outdoor sports and cultural activities, and in general promote tourism - which, according to Travel Wisconsin, “generated a historic $25 billion economic impact” in 2023 (industry.travelwisconsin.com).
THE COMMUNITIES
De Soto, WI is a village mostly in Vernon County but also in Crawford County in Wisconsin. The population was 309 at the 2020 census, up from 287 at the 2010 census. As of 2022, the Town of Wheatland in Vernon County, WI, registered a population of 539. The Town includes the unincorporated settlements of Red Mound and Victory.
SOME TERMS DEFINED: ROOM TAX, TOURISM COMMISSION
Room Tax: “A room tax is an occupancy tax for any overnight stay in a lodging unit for a duration of less than 30 days,” according to Gary Mulford, president of the De Soto Area Tourism Commission and at-large member from the Village of De Soto. “The tax applies to any lodging facility within the tax jurisdiction, where individuals can reside for overnight accommodations regardless of the booking means or business structure of the host,” he said.
The Village of De Soto, WI and the Town of Wheatland, WI comprise the tax jurisdiction represented by the De Soto Area Tourism Commission. Currently, there are 27 lodging units included in the De Soto Area Tourism Commission lodging roster - “however a few others will be added in the upcoming months as they ‘open,’” said Janice Vanevenhoven, an at-large member from the Town of Wheatland.
Wisconsin’s Room Tax was originally created in 1967, according to the Wisconsin Hotel and Lodging Association. “At the time, the lodging industry supported the small industry-specific tax as a vehicle to pool resources for marketing and promoting local tourism. Today room tax is an incredibly important tool for creating a strong tourism industry in our municipalities” (wisconsinlodging.org).
Tourism Commission: “The Commission is a government board established by a tax jurisdiction (City, Village or Town) pursuant to Wisconsin State Statutes, Section 66.0615 and any subsequent amendments to it,” Mulford said.
A tourism commission coordinates and uses Room Tax revenue to promote and develop tourism within a city or village. Commissions may coordinate tourism promotion and development, including marketing projects, advertising, and creating promotional materials. They may also recruit conventions, sporting events, and motor-coach groups (wisconsinlodging.org).
The Commission is essentially “a group of individuals, business owners, and lodging owners [who got together] to come up with ideas about how to bring people to our area and improve the use of our public spaces,” Jenn Swiggum, real-estate broker and business owner member from De Soto, said.
To read the full article, pick up the Wednesday, September 4, 2024 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.
