Convincing travelers and tourists to spend time and money within your community takes a team. To be more specific, it takes a big team – an entire community. It starts with community development and building up a place that attracts visitors and provides them with a positive experience. Providing that memorable experience takes the efforts of the local governments, local businesses and residents.
Local Governments
It’s important for the local government to support the communities and businesses it presides over. They need to make it simple for developers to build new attractions, and make it easy for small businesses to open and operate, as well as large corporations to expand and create more jobs.
It’s also critical for the local government to keep the community clean and safe. Tourists won’t travel to your destination if they fear something could go wrong. They won’t return if it’s a mess.
Local Businesses
Local business is the lifeblood of a community. Any visitor or tourist will interact with some type of local business. It’s important for them to provide top-notch customer service and give all visitors the best experience possible. This all plays into their overall view of the community and whether or not they will return and spend more money.
It’s also important for local businesses to support their local convention and visitors bureau. Many of them rely on memberships from local business to continue promoting the region. Their job is to represent specific destination help with the long-term growth of communities through a travel and tourism plan. Basically, they market a destination and everything within it – businesses, restaurants, shopping, activities and more. It’s critical to work as a team and give visitors a reason to return.
Local Residents
Local residents can make a huge difference in the success of destination marketing. It’s important to support your community. Go to events, shop at local stores, dine at local restaurants and take part in as many community activities as you can.
Also, bring your friends and family. Preferably those from out of town! Speak positively about your community. Focus on the good, the fun and the unique. Tell everyone about how great your community is. Love your community.
Most importantly, treat others with respect and be willing to help out. It doesn’t matter if it’s a local or a tourist; treat them like your neighbor. If you don’t like your neighbor – treat them like family!
If your City, County of State has a theme or marketing campaign – it’s the job off everyone to help support that theme. Local Government should support initiatives that push it forward, businesses should help promote it locally and residents need to own it as well. For example, Warren County, Ohio is known as Ohio’s Largest Playground. The entire community should rally around that and help build it up.
It takes an entire community to become a desired destination for travelers and tourists. Take a few minutes and think about why you love your community. Now go tell someone and invite them to experience it.
Check out our Destination Marketing eBooks for more detailed information.
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