Itasca considers hiring firm to boost tourism
To help generate more hotel and sales tax revenue, Itasca officials may hire a professional marketing firm to attract tourism and business to the village.
The Itasca Village Board heard a presentation Tuesday from Mauge, Inc., an advertising agency which has handled clients like The Abbey Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis. This is the Chicago-based group's second time meeting with officials.
Trustee Frank Madaras said he hopes Mauge could create the same name-brand recognition for Itasca that exists with The Abbey.
"They did such a good job building that place up as a destination and I thought, 'That's for us,'" he said at a meeting last month.
On Tuesday, Mauge representatives Ginna Ryan and Carmen Maugeri discussed different approaches they offer to push Itasca into the public eye, including updating the village logo, print and Web advertising targeted to special events in Itasca, and creating partnerships with the five hotels in the village.
"This whole process is about ensuring (Itasca's) future viability," Ryan said.
Mauge's approach is twofold, with the first portion taking four to eight weeks to do research on Itasca and how it should be marketed. Ryan said this would include lots of discussions with residents and what they want from Itasca, as well as sizing up nearby towns.
"We would need to gain an understanding of surrounding communities and competition, like Schaumburg and the O'Hare area," Ryan said. "To get hotel stays, business conferences, etc. to come here, we must know what do they offer and how do they compare to Itasca businesses and residentially," said Ryan.
The second phase consists of developing and implementing a multifaceted advertising strategy, which could run from one to two years.
Trustee Marty Hower questioned if Mauge would be able to track whether their strategies are effective in increasing hotel stays or convincing businesses to open in the village. Ryan and Maugeri said there are methods available, such as promotional codes for hotel stays.
No future meeting was set Tuesday to continue discussions, but trustees are considering Mauge's presentation.
"We have no timeline on when to make a decision about this," said Village Administrator Dave Williams.