For more information contact:  

Valeria Davis, 608/266-2147, vdavis@travelwisconsin.com 

Theresa Smith, 715/385-2400, boulderjct@boulderjct.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOULDER JUNCTION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDED $14,700 TOURISM GRANT

Joint Effort Marketing program provides funds to promote geocaching in northern Wisconsin

BOULDER JUNCTION, Wis. (Oct. 27, 2006) -- Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Jim Holperin today announced a $14,700 marketing grant to the Boulder Junction Chamber of Commerce to help promote geocaching in the Rhinelander, St. Germain and Boulder Junction area. The promotion of the growing adventure sport will run from March 1 through May 31, 2007.

The grant is part of the Department of Tourism’s Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) program, designed to give an extra marketing boost to promotional campaigns that will increase tourism. “The Great Northwoods Treasure Hunt” will promote the Boulder Junction area as a destination where travelers who enjoy geocaching can play and enjoy other attractions in the region. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigation tools to hide and seek containers called geocaches, or caches anywhere in the world.

“Geocaching is a hot new adventure that uses technology to find hidden treasures; we used to call it hide-n-seek,” Holperin said. “But with the help of satellites and GPS units, this game can encompass the entire globe, or a region like Boulder Junction and Rhinelander where there’s plenty of outdoor beauty, activities and events to enjoy while looking for treasure.”

Local organizers are riding the edge of an exciting wave in travel that is attracting a new and broad variety of travelers, Holperin added. They may have also unwittingly discovered the most accurate way of tracking where travelers go.

“The human spirit loves adventure and now travelers are enjoying a new sense of freedom to participate in adventures that take them to exact, yet unknown locations,” Holperin said. “Geocaching adds a fascinating dimension to tourism marketing. It’s no surprise that the Northwoods spirit of adventure and exploration would quickly seize this opportunity to define a new frontier.”

The JEM program assists non-profit tourism organizations by providing funds to help advertise events, sales promotions and destination marketing projects. So far in the 2007 fiscal year, which began July 1, 2006, the program has awarded $448,286 to 19 projects. The state funds up to 75 percent of the project’s first year of advertising and marketing costs. Additional support may be available for the second and third years of the project.

JEM proposals are submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and are reviewed by the Department staff and a JEM Review Committee. For more information on the JEM program, contact Abbie Hill at 608/261-6272, or visit http://agency.travelwisconsin.com.

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