VISIT Milwaukee launches virtual tour of Milwaukee in advance of DNC

MILWAUKEE (Aug. 13, 2020) – Today VISIT Milwaukee unveiled an immersive virtual experience to showcase this unparalleled city and the thoughtful, resilient people who make it come together. From old fashioneds and cheese curds, to Alice’s Garden’s meditative labyrinth and the local music scene, this collective experience includes 30 videos that cover traditions beloved by locals and visitors alike. And they’re not just your average tourism videos. These videos feature the voices of 30 passionate Milwaukeeans who share with viewers an inside look at what makes the city such a dynamic place.

“There’s nothing like being in Milwaukee in person, of course, but we also know this year is unlike any other,” says Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. “These 30 videos provide a look at our city through the eyes of the people who know it best from across the community, and we couldn’t be prouder to provide this experience to the visitors who couldn’t visit in person this summer, including DNC delegates, donors, and members of the press.”

In the midst of the pandemic, many destination organizations like VISIT Milwaukee have had to reimagine how they promote their communities. VISIT Milwaukee chose to create this video series, complemented by two new commercials, in order to tell Milwaukee’s authentic story and elevate the perception of the destination by seizing the opportunity in the global spotlight during the DNC.

“These vignettes capture dozens of stories about Milwaukee, but they’re ultimately just the beginning,” says Megan Suardini, chief marketing officer at VISIT Milwaukee. “What we hope viewers come away with is a sense that there is so much more to Milwaukee than they realized and that they want to experience the city for themselves.”

The videos were created by local videographer Samer Ghani. Much of the music was provided by local band Paper Holland. Narration for each video was provided by the following:

• Accessible attractions, County Executive David Crowley
• Only-in-Milwaukee hotels, VISIT Milwaukee President & CEO Peggy Williams-Smith
• Fried cheese curds, Lakefront Brewery’s Russ Klisch
• An urban garden escape, Alice’s Garden’s Venice Williams
• Historic Mitchell Street’s melting pot, Damascus’ Gate’s Ahmad Nasef
• Sunrise over Lake Michigan, Sea Dog Sailing’s Captain Bob De Vorse
• A multitude of museums, America’s Black Holocaust Museum’s Dr. Robert (Bert) Davis
• The RiverWalk, Milwaukee Food & City Tours’ Theresa Nemetz
• The coffee scene, Colectivo Coffee’s Scott Schwebel
• Kayaking through the city, Milwaukee Kayak Company’s Beth Handle
• Frozen custard, OnMilwaukee’s Bobby Tanzilo
• International flavors, Jewels Caribbean’s Natasha Jules
• Milwaukee County Zoo, the Zoo’s Chuck Wickenhauser
• Biking along the lakefront, Bublr Bikes’ James Davies
• Shopping, Bronzeville Collective’s Lilo Allen
• Fish fries, United Community Center/Café el Sol’s Chef Miguel Sanchez
• Milwaukee’s music scene, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee’s Justin Barney
• The film scene, Nō Studios’ Lisa Caesar
• Make-and-take in Milwaukee, Foamation’s Mei-Lyn Nelson
• Milwaukee’s newest neighborhood, Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery’s Jim Haertel
• Dining and drinking outdoors, Bartolotta Restaurant Group’s Paul Bartolotta
• Houses of worship, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee’s Pardeep Singh Kaleka
• Performing arts, Milwaukee Ballet’s Michael Pink>
• City of festivals, PrideFest/VISIT Milwaukee’s Tony Snell
• Food halls, Sherman Phoenix/Confectionately Yours’ Adija Greer-Smith
• Old fashioneds, Bittercube’s Ira Koplowitz
• Sculpture Milwaukee, project director Marilu Knode
• Beaches, WISN-TV‘s Mark Baden
• Unique architecture, journalist and critic Mary Louise Schumacher
• Murals around the city, Bigshot Robot’s David Mark Zimmerman

Watch all of the videos at visitmilwaukee.org/exploremke.

About VISIT Milwaukee
VISIT Milwaukee is the Greater Milwaukee area’s convention and visitors bureau, marketing the destination as a top choice for business, convention, and leisure travel in order to increase the economic impact of tourism in the region. VISIT Milwaukee has over 700 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services, and area businesses. The Wisconsin Center District and Potawatomi Hotel & Casino are strategic partners with VISIT Milwaukee, providing funding support for conventions and tourism programs. For more information call (800) 554-1448 or visit www.visitmilwaukee.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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