Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/201303
insight on Economic By Connie Fellman development Branching out Autumn splendor helps augment economic growth in Northwoods counties T 38 | Insight • N o v e m b e r 2 013 Mother Nature markets the Northwoods, including Marinette County, which is the "Waterfalls Capital of Wisconsin." Regional economic development officials hope to hook tourists, who they hope will return to set up shop or retire. P h o t o g r pa h s b y D av e C a m p b e l l his time of year, the Northwoods of Wisconsin is its own best marketing tool. Thousands flock north within a small window of weeks to witness Mother Nature's spectacular display of fall colors. But the impact of this annual migration continues to peak long after the leaves have fallen. As Elizabeth Becker recently wrote in her article "Overbooked" for Smithsonian magazine, "Tourism has become one of the most powerful, most influential and least-examined forces in the world. It produces $6.5 trillion of the global economy and employs one of every 12 people on earth. In gross economic power, it is in the same company as oil, energy, finance and agriculture." That economic power is certainly not lost on community leaders in northern counties, who see the influx of visitors to the area as a springboard toward economic development. "There's a direct translation between tourism and economic development," says Becky DeWitt, interim Marinette County tourism director. "We have more than 1,600 jobs in tourism in Marinette County alone." Capitalizing on that unique asset, community leaders recently changed the way they promote Marinette County, targeting a nostalgic demographic to draw visitors to the area, then letting the region sell itself. "We market in American Road magazine and always drive people to our website," says DeWitt, who often hears the reaction, "Wow! You have this?" Once those visitors are hooked on the Northwoods, economic development is often soon to follow. "Over the years we've seen a lot of traffic from out of town and out of state come up to visit, then move up here permanently when they retire," DeWitt explains. "Now we're global. You can really start a business anywhere; do business via Skype etc… The increased ability to work from home generates more people relocating to the area to stay." In fact, Crivitz native DeWitt moved back to the area to stay herself and now runs a bed and breakfast in her hometown, refurbishing a house built near the turn of the century. About Marinette Marine In addition to its natural assets, Marinette County is also home to one of the region's largest employers, Marinette Marine, with a workforce between 1,400 and 1,600 employees. The nationally recognized shipbuilder w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m