May 07--Consumers appear to be feeling better about the economy and what they're spending when they travel shows it.

The state Department of Tourism on Monday reported tourism's impact on Wisconsin's economy totaled $16.8 billion in 2012, a 5 percent increase from the 2011 total of $16 billion.

Visitor spending saw similar gains in the Fox Cities. The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, citing state data, reported regional visitor spending in 2012 totaled $392 million, up 2.45 percent from the previous year's total of $382.3 million.

Pam Seidl, executive director of the Fox Cities visitors bureau, said it was the second consecutive year of spending increase by visitors to the region. However, she was concerned the Fox Cities share of visitor spending for the state as a whole fell slightly.

"What we're seeing is a direct impact of visitors going to other places in the state," Seidl said. "We're happy to see spending up for our region again, but the drop is something to watch."

Visitor spending in the Fox Cities represented 3.77 percent of overall tourism spending in the state in 2012, Seidl said. In 2010, the number was 3.85 percent and in 2011 it was 3.86 percent.

Seidl said the numbers suggest missed opportunity for convention business.

"We don't want to keep seeing our share of the overall pie get smaller as people go to other parts of the state," she said.

But there is momentum to build on, Seidl said.

The results of two years of branding and marketing to showcase the Fox Cities as a shopping destination seem to be working, she said.

Fox Cities retail spending in 2012 totaled $88.3 million, up 0.25 percent from $88 million in 2011.

Where Seidl sees opportunity is packaging shopping with other activities. Recreational and entertainment spending in the Fox Cities in 2012 totaled $52 million, up 6 percent from $49 million in 2011.

"More of what we've been trying to do is encouraging visitors to check out other things to do in the Fox Cities while they're here," she said. "Shopping may still be the big hook but growth in recreational and entertainment suggests people are staying longer to check other things out."

John Burgland, senior general manager at Fox River Mall in Grand Chute, said mall shoppers appear to feel upbeat.

"There's a sense that there's just been a lot more pent-up buying and people in general are comfortable with their jobs, income levels and feel there's more stability and they're responding to it," Burgland said.

Burgland said for the past decade, the mall has averaged about 16 million visitors annually. The retail center is nearly fully occupied but the mall regularly reviews its tenant mix to keep shoppers coming back, he said.

"Our product is the stores we have in the mall so we try to keep things as fresh as possible and ensure we're offering what people want," he said. "We're constantly watching for new merchants to improve our merchandise mix."

The mall and its owner, General Growth Properties, monitor sales traffic to see what people are buying and every couple of years surveys customers, asking what they'd like to see in the mall.

"We have to always understand what our market wants so we get the right merchants for our market," Burgland said.

Catering to a niche works for Piece by Piece in Appleton, which specializes in supplies for quilt making.

June Vandenberg, manager of Piece by Piece, said the store's recently launched website, www.piecebypiecellc.com, has been an effective vehicle to bring buyers into the store at 1350 W. College Ave., Suite B, as well as its newsletter.

She said shoppers generally want to support local businesses.

"I think it's the personal attention they appreciate," Vandenberg said.

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