Middleton tourism staff reports rising February occupancy, discusses marketing push and paid PBS segment

The Middleton Tourism Commission received updates March 19 on hotel performance and the tourism office's spring marketing strategy, including new professional video assets and a potential paid segment from PBS.

Chair and a committee member summarized hotel conditions: transient demand remains soft and group business is the primary lever the industry is using to protect average daily rate (ADR). The Chair cautioned that cutting transient rates could suppress group rates and warned it could become a "race to the bottom." A committee member noted some properties were recovering year-over-year after renovations decreased room inventory last year.

Staff said the STAR report showed citywide occupancy was up in February and previewed a new Bachfest photo and video package — including drone footage and stage coverage — that will be used in an April spring campaign. Staff outlined target DMAs for advertising (Milwaukee, northern Illinois/Chicago and Cedar Rapids) and said the office will continue placements with partners such as WMPI and Circle Wisconsin.

Staff also reported PBS contacted the office with a paid-segment proposal for a show described as "Your Backyard." Staff said the PBS segment could cost "25 to $30" as discussed in the meeting and that the commission would need to either approve going over the current advertising budget or request a reallocation from finance. Staff committed to sending commissioners the full PBS proposal and to providing an updated Discover Wisconsin proposal for apples-to-apples comparison.

Commissioners discussed the difficulty of tracking out-of-town attendance for local festivals and the value of post-event reporting (ZIP codes, business testimonials) to justify future sponsorships. Staff described a broader push to make grant application materials more accessible to hotels and meeting planners and suggested targeted outreach (WSAE membership lists, association management companies) to attract group business.

The commission did not make a final decision on the PBS proposal at the meeting; staff said they would circulate proposals and may call a special Zoom meeting to consider time-sensitive items.