For Immediate Release:
May 10, 2007

Fox Cities Visitor Center Celebrates National Tourism Week with Free Gifts

[Fox Cities] – Walk in to the Fox Cities Visitor Center May 14th through the 18th and you just may walk out with more than the latest Fox Cities Visitor Guide or a road map. Guests at the Visitor Center next week will be treated to free items from local tourism businesses as part of a National Tourism Week promotion.

“The purpose of National Tourism Week is to bring attention to the powerful economic, social and cultural impacts of travel,” explained Pam Seidl, Director of Marketing Communications for the Bureau.  “We wanted to do something special for visitors that come to the Visitor Center this week, and a number of our tourism partners provided items for us to give away.”

Items include everything from a robe, hat and candle from the CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel and t-shirts from Lawrence University to juggling balls from the La Quinta Inn.

“We also have a number of passes to local attractions that we will be randomly awarding to people who come into the Visitor Center,” said Seidl

Many destinations around the country will be promoting National Tourism week with a variety of events, from banquet dinners and tourism breakfasts to visitor center activities and legislative days. This year's national theme is "Travel & Tourism: America's Front Door," which illustrates the importance of travel to America's image and suggests its impact as a leading industry for economic growth.

The Fox Cities Visitor Center is located at 3433 W. College Avenue in Appleton. Center hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More information about National Tourism Week is available at www.tia.org.

The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, not-for-profit corporation working to develop an economically viable convention and visitor business in the Fox Cities. This is accomplished by attracting meetings, conventions and tournaments to the community and promoting area attractions and special events to tourists and other visitors.

Tourism created 6,046 jobs and $102.01 million in income to residents of the Fox Cities in 2005. Total tourism expenditures in 2005 were $355.35 million.

###

About the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, not-for-profit corporation working to develop an economically viable convention and visitor business in the Fox Cities. This is accomplished by attracting meetings, conventions and tournaments to the community and promoting area attractions and special events to tourists and other visitors.

For More Information Contact:
Pam Seidl, Director of Marketing Communications
(920) 734-3358
pseidl@foxcities.org