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Visit Madison reports 60,000 guides, regional outreach and digital upgrades to boost tourism
Summary
VMI staff reported distribution of 60,000 visitor guides, participation in regional travel shows, finalist status in Parade magazine and USA Today polls, and plans for a CRM and website AI bot to improve partner listings and visitor planning.
Sarah, a VMI marketing representative, told the Jefferson County Board of Tourism that the office delivered 60,000 visitor guides this season and has been active at regional travel shows to promote Madison and county attractions.
"We have 60,000 guides delivered," Sarah said, describing rack distribution, targeted social campaigns and collaborative PR work that helped several local events and attractions gain wider attention.
VMI reported participation in shows including the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show and the Heartland Travel Showcase, and staff described targeted retargeting campaigns run during partner events. VMI also noted three collaborative tourism awards and said Madison is a finalist in Parade magazine's "favorite small town" and is competing in USA Today polls.
Sarah outlined several digital initiatives VMI plans to launch to improve partner engagement and visitor services: a customer relationship management platform that will allow partners to manage their listings and a custom AI chat feature on the Visit Madison website to help visitors plan trips.
When asked where visitors came from in 2025, Sarah said the bulk of traffic was from nearby Midwest states but cited some unexpected interest from farther west, including Colorado, and offered to supply a more detailed origin report as part of the 2025 annual report.
VMI staff emphasized that the marketing and distribution work supports lodging-tax revenue (the Board's primary funding source) and encouraged partner organizations to coordinate with VMI for amplified promotion and measurement.
The Board thanked VMI and said it will receive additional occupancy and placement metrics in a subsequent meeting when staff return from leave.
