Capital Region Business Journal, March 2009
The landmark A&O Initiative, completed in December, identified key assets in our region, mapped them, and uncovered eight unique opportunities we have to grow the region's economy based on our assets.
This is critical; by developing opportunities based on our assets, we have a stronger starting point and better chance of success. Thrive will be involved with those efforts that align with Thrive's strategic goals, but the organization is looking to leaders in each arena to turn these opportunities into action.
The first of these opportunities took a major step forward in January when Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, asked her regional tourism colleagues to join a panel of 40 regional economic development professionals.
Our region is a tourism leader in the state, with a diverse array of offerings including our natural resources, cultural history and family attractions, a flourishing arts scene, and specialty food and beverages. In total, nearly one-quarter of all tourism expenditures in the state occur in our region. The total economic impact of tourism is almost $3 billion annually. In addition to industry drivers like Wisconsin Dells and Madison, we have a unique collection of identifiable communities.
The landmark A&O Initiative, completed in December, identified key assets in our region, mapped them, and uncovered eight unique opportunities we have to grow the region's economy based on our assets.
This is critical; by developing opportunities based on our assets, we have a stronger starting point and better chance of success. Thrive will be involved with those efforts that align with Thrive's strategic goals, but the organization is looking to leaders in each arena to turn these opportunities into action.
The first of these opportunities took a major step forward in January when Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, asked her regional tourism colleagues to join a panel of 40 regional economic development professionals.
Our region is a tourism leader in the state, with a diverse array of offerings including our natural resources, cultural history and family attractions, a flourishing arts scene, and specialty food and beverages. In total, nearly one-quarter of all tourism expenditures in the state occur in our region. The total economic impact of tourism is almost $3 billion annually. In addition to industry drivers like Wisconsin Dells and Madison, we have a unique collection of identifiable communities.