What Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. does

Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization incorporated in October 2018 and headquartered in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, situated between the Milwaukee and Chicago metros. It is the official body responsible for promoting Pleasant Prairie as a visitor destination, functioning as a coordinator among local hotels, restaurants, attractions, event venues, and major employers including HARIBO, Uline, and the newly announced Eli Lilly manufacturing facility. The organization serves both leisure travelers and regional business travelers, marketing signature community programming such as Harvest Fest and the Holiday Lights Tour, alongside co-promoted employer-led attractions like HARIBO's Tour de Candy ride.

The CVB is funded by a dedicated hotel and short-term lodging tax, which provides a structurally protected revenue stream tied to local lodging policy rather than open-market competition. It operates with a small staff of 6, including an Executive Director (Sarah Howard) and Events Manager (Apple Sterk), and is institutionally affiliated with Destinations International, the Wisconsin Association of CVBs, Great Lakes USA, and Travel Wisconsin. Its core outputs are destination marketing campaigns, event programming, and partner coordination across a base of 2,000+ local businesses.

The business model is a non-transactional destination marketing model: revenue derives from a lodging tax rather than direct sales to consumers. There is no proprietary technology platform; digital presence consists of a standard destination website and social channels. The CVB's competitive position rests on its regulatory franchise over the lodging tax, its network of hotel and employer partnerships, and the underlying brand association of Pleasant Prairie with Lake Michigan proximity and major global employers.

Name

Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

Legal name

Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

Website

https://visitpleasantprairie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization funded by a hotel and short-term lodging tax that promotes Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin to leisure and business travelers through events, partnerships, and employer-led attractions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pleasant Prairie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Hotel and Short-Term Lodging Tax: The organization is funded by hotel and short-term lodging tax, making it a membership-funded nonprofit operating as an economic catalyst for the hospitality industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. (Visit Pleasant Prairie) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization that promotes the Village of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin as a year-round tourism destination between Milwaukee and Chicago. Its core offerings include destination marketing through a flagship website, physical visitor services at the Welcome Center & Gift Shop, a free Local Guide Magazine, a quarterly e-newsletter, signature seasonal events, and sports/event planning support for tournaments and group gatherings. The organization is funded by hotel and short-term lodging tax and serves as an economic catalyst for the local hospitality industry.

Product overview

The Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau operates a destination marketing platform centered on its official Visit Pleasant Prairie website, complemented by physical visitor services (Welcome Center & Gift Shop), print/digital publications (Local Guide Magazine), email marketing (E-Newsletter), and professional event planning services. The organization functions as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit funded by hotel and short-term lodging tax, promoting Pleasant Prairie as a tourism destination between Milwaukee and Chicago.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visit Pleasant Prairie Website
• Welcome Center & Gift Shop
• Pleasant Prairie Local Guide Magazine
• E-Newsletter
• Sports & Event Planning Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Population served: just over 20,000 residents plus regional visitor base

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Village of Pleasant PrairiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Village of Pleasant Prairie partners with Visit Pleasant Prairie for signature events including the Holiday Lights Tour (submissions Nov 28 – Dec 10) and Twelfth Night Bonfire. Village departments coordinate event logistics including Fire and Public Works for the bonfire.
• Pleasant Prairie Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-hosts the Twelfth Night Holiday Tree Bonfire with Visit Pleasant Prairie and the Village of Pleasant Prairie. Donations at the event support the Pleasant Prairie Historical Society.
• John McGivern / Main Streets (PBS)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Visit Pleasant Prairie was featured in John McGivern's 'Main Streets: Pleasant Cities' PBS episode alongside Mount Pleasant, showcasing the Dome Home, RecPlex, Chiwaukee Prairie, Premium Outlets, Mars Cheese Castle, and Bristol Renaissance Faire.
• Kenosha HarborMarketcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Visit Pleasant Prairie partnered with Kenosha HarborMarket to launch the Pleasant Prairie HarborMarket as a special event initiative. The HarborMarket operates on select Sundays at Lake Andrea Beer Garden (10023 Park Drive). 2026 is the 4th outdoor season. The partnership brought 50+ vendors per market date and introduced the first 'Sip as you Shop' concept in Kenosha County.
• DoubleTree by Hilton Pleasant PrairiecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe region's only full-service Hilton property, located across from Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets. Co-marketing partnerships with exclusive deal packages including Mars Cheese Castle gift certificates and Premium Outlets gift cards. Also the closest hotel to Bristol Renaissance Faire with a dedicated Shelby Campbell's Eatery & Bar partnership.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by MarriottcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-marketing partnership featuring exclusive romance packages, outlet mall shopping packages with $25 gift certificates, and Bristol Renaissance Faire escape packages including tickets and breakfast.
• Pleasant Prairie RecPlexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest municipal recreation facility in the country (300,000+ sq ft). Co-marketed for sports tournaments, events, and day passes. Shared event hosting at Lake Andrea and Prairie Springs Park.
• Pleasant Prairie Premium OutletscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTop-performing outlet mall in the region featuring 90+ brand-name stores. Joint marketing campaigns promoting shopping tourism from Milwaukee and Chicago. Co-branded hotel + shopping getaway packages with partner hotels.
• HARIBO of America ManufacturingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHARIBO's first North American manufacturing facility located in Pleasant Prairie at 12488 Goldbear Drive. First phase brought 450 full-time production, 44 warehouse, and 20 part-time employees. The iconic HARIBO water tower is a notable landmark. Visit Pleasant Prairie promotes HARIBO as a major local employer and 'Made in Pleasant Prairie' brand.
• Travel WisconsinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Travel Wisconsin state tourism organization for destination promotion and regional tourism marketing.
• Destinations WisconsinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMembership in Destinations Wisconsin, the state's destination marketing organization collective, and Destinations International for global tourism network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• VISIT Milwaukee: Wisconsin's largest CVB performing the same destination marketing, event promotion, and visitor services function as Visit Pleasant Prairie, but at metro scale in Milwaukee.
• Destination Madison: Wisconsin city-level DMO with destination marketing, signature events, and lodging-tax-style funding; comparable function in a different Wisconsin market.
• Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau: Neighboring Wisconsin CVB covering Kenosha, just south of Pleasant Prairie along the I-94 corridor; performs the same DMO function in an adjacent geography.
• Racine County Convention & Visitors Bureau: Direct neighboring Wisconsin county-level CVB; serves as the closest geographic peer for destination marketing activity adjacent to Pleasant Prairie.
• Visit Lake Geneva: Wisconsin DMO marketing a smaller regional destination with similar signature events, lodging partnerships, and weekend traveler appeal; directly comparable in size and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Choose Chicago: Major-market DMO for Chicago, one of the two metros bracketing Pleasant Prairie; competes for visitor mindshare on the same I-94 corridor.
• Travel Wisconsin: State-level DMO of which Visit Pleasant Prairie is a sub-partner; provides statewide destination promotion that includes Pleasant Prairie as a sub-destination.

Others

• Destinations International: Industry trade association for DMOs/CVBs of which Visit Pleasant Prairie is a member; provides benchmarking, advocacy, and education across the U.S. destination marketing sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/visitpleasantprairie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visit-pleasant-prairie
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitpleasantprairie

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pleasant Prairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.