The most powerful argument of all
for saving open space is economics.
In most states, tourism is
the number two industry.Jim Fowler, American Economist
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From the category archives:
Tourism
Rural businesses and small towns that attract large numbers of tourists are re-thinking their strategies this year, as the economy causes everyone to reconsider travel plans.
Apparently Americans’ views of corporate greed are even affecting the types of accomodations that travelers choose to stay in:
“Group and corporate travel are down considerably at many area hotels, a trend that Anderson said has been exacerbated by media reports and politicians who’ve made “luxury resorts the poster child for corporate excess.”
As a result, industry forecasts call for high-end destination resorts to see a 5.3 percent drop in revenue per available room this year, according to Anderson.
Kohler has been trying to make up for the drop in its group business by marketing more to leisure travelers.
“You’ve got to go where the fish are,” Anderson said.
Some conference centers are reporting group tour business is down, but that leisure travel is staying strong. If that continues to be true, that trend could be good news for rural tourism businesses. Corporate travelers and group tours have pre-arranged, usually tight daily schedules that prevent many spontaneous decisions about who and what they’d like to visit.
An increase in leisure travelers staying in small cities and resort areas should mean a potential increase in travelers with more time for daytrips, who could be attracted out to rural areas within easy travel distance.
Some rural chambers of commerce are approaching the situation from ‘the glass is half full’ perspective, hoping to maintain tourism at past levels and avoid a drop in tourist traffic. Kathleen Eickhoff, tourism director at the Elkhart Lake Chamber of Commerce in Wisconsin, wants to be realistic - as stated clearly in “Local businesses hope to capitalize on trend of vacationing closer to home“:
“We realize that if we can stay flat and maintain the growth we saw in 2008, it would be fantastic.”
To do so, the Elkhart Lake chamber has been aggressively marketing the area using online, radio and print ads in Milwaukee and Chicago. The chamber has not scaled back its advertising budget.
“People are still going to take vacations, but they’re not looking to go to Europe or Disney,” Eickhoff said. “Instead, they’re doing something closer to home; so we’re focusing our message on the traditional family lakeside getaway.”
So - If your rural business attracts travelers, or your community is working to increase its share of the tourist pie, ask yourself:
What can I do to make my business of greater interest to leisure and weekend travelers?
What actions can I take to let leisure travelers staying at area resorts know about my business and community?
What small cities and resorts are within 1 - 2 hours drive from my rural community?
What opportunities are there for collaborative marketing with other area businesses of interest to leisure and weekend travelers?
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The modern American tourist now fills his experience with pseudo-events. He has come to expect both more strangeness and more familiarity than the world naturally offers. He has come to believe that he can have a lifetime of adventure in two weeks and all the thrills of risking his life without any real risk at all.
Daniel J. Boorstin
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Tourism throughout the US is down, but we’re not the only ones. Canadian tourism has seen a decline, too, partly due to the drop in Americans traveling over the border but also because fewer Canadians are traveling.
Take a look at how tourism businesses in Canada are being encouraged to plan for tourists who travel less and stick closer to home.
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Have you given any thought to how attracting tourists to your area could help your business?
The Palm Springs, California Bureau of Tourism did, and decided to market to college students traveling during spring break, using social media.
You can take a look here to read four perspectives on what small business owners thought and what additional tourism would mean to their business.
Would a marketing effort like this, targeted to a specific age group or narrow seasonal timeframe, work in your community?
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