Real Racine rebrands as Visit Racine County after 18 months of planning

RACINE COUNTY — The Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau, what has been known as Real Racine, will be operating as Visit Racine County.

The change comes following 18 months of extensive reorganization which brings a new name, branding and three-year strategic plan.

The change encompasses a goal to serve as the county-wide tourism bureau by attracting visitors and encouraging them to experience tourism in all its forms in the entire county.

Visit Racine County announced the change following the end of National Travel and Tourism Week. This annual period of time allows organizations like Visit Racine County to share the power of travel and showcase the positive impacts, both economic and quality of life, that tourism brings to local communities.

Strategic planning

According to the release, the changes were led by Development Counsellors International, who focused on the rebranding portion, and Destination Consultancy Group, who managed the Strategic Plan.

Both of these organizations were integral in collecting data, leading local focus groups, and gathering the necessary feedback to create the Visit Racine County brand.

A fresh start

“It is wild how invigorating a fresh start can be! While Real Racine served a purpose over the past years, it was very obvious that our municipalities and hospitality partners wanted a big change,” said Cari Greving, Interim CEO of Real Racine and Tourism Director for Enjoy Mount Pleasant. “We knew that tourism needed to be a collaborative effort that made all of our communities feel special. We needed transparency in our organization. We needed to ask the right questions to all our stakeholders and create a tourism organization that is authentic. Bottom line, Real Racine hadn’t been listening very well, and now, we are. The future of tourism in Racine County has never been so bright.”

Connecting with Mount Pleasant’s Tourism

Visit Racine County and Mount Pleasant Tourism Commission have been working together for months, according to Greving, but they have not rejoined what is now Visit Racine County.

The Mount Pleasant Tourism Commission has played an important part in these changes, according to a press release. They approved funding as a partner in the Strategic Plan at the end of 2022 and have been supportive in all efforts to increase tourism for Racine County.

Ways that they have partnered include the collaboration on the 2023 Activities Guide, a Live Music Stage sponsorship at the Franksville Craft Beer Garden, and numerous advertising campaigns in both print and digital.

Expanding efforts

The transition to Visit Racine County will continue the focus that makes Racine County a destination for vacationers, business travelers, sports groups, and special event attendees, all with a fresh name.

“Just like we needed to simplify our purpose, we needed a clear name that expressed our mission. Racine County tourism is wholly dependent upon the strength of each community working together for the common tourism goal,” said Greving. “We have so much to showcase here. Every attraction, every restaurant, every business, every hotel property in EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY is meaningful. The economic impact of tourism in Racine County in 2021 was $427 million dollars! We can grow that. We can create tourism we never imagined before.”

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