Revitalizing Downtowns Webinar SeriesDecember 17, 2009

Laura BrownCommunity & Economic Development Educator

Crawford County University of Wisconsin ExtensionBill Ryan

Tourism Specialist, University of Wisconsin Extension Center for Community & Economic Development

Tourism and Downtown Tourism and Downtown DevelopmentDevelopment

Today’s PresentationToday’s Presentation

I. Why Consider Tourism?II. Community StrategiesIII. Types of Businesses

that Appeal to Visitors

If people come, where will they spend money? How will they get here? Will tourists consider buying a home here? How will this impact our communities?

– Entrepreneurship – Business retention– Workforce development– Transportation– Leadership development– Downtown development

Tourism plays an important role in economic development; improving the economy and well being of residents

II. Why Consider Tourism?II. Why Consider Tourism?Understanding the Broader EconomyUnderstanding the Broader Economy

Tourism development is one of many aspects of the your economy. Examples of other economic factors that affect community welfare include workforce development, business retention, entrepreneurship, downtown development, infrastructure and transportation, leadership development, education and housing. Images:http://www.tourismvancouver.com/about_us/

volunteer_overview http://www.cesa3.k12.wi.us/it/iTASC.cfm http://www.driftlessmarket.com/

II.II. Why Consider Tourism?Why Consider Tourism?…one piece of the economic pie..…one piece of the economic pie..

Tourism diversifies the economy and creates opportunities for small businesses…

II.II. Why Consider Tourism?Why Consider Tourism?Understanding the Broader Economy Understanding the Broader Economy

II.II. Why Consider Tourism?Why Consider Tourism?Understanding the Broader Economy Understanding the Broader Economy

• Brings in dollars from outside of the community.

• Larger and more diverse mix of retail.

• Provides new entrepreneurial opportunities for community residents.

• Brings customers with comparatively high disposable incomes.

• Increases tax revenues.

• Enhances the visibility of the community, increasing its attractiveness as a place to visit, work, or call home.

Find out more about the economic impact if tourism in your county at Wisconsin Department of Tourism

http://industry.travelwisconsin.com/en/Research/Economic+Impact.aspx

• Small tourism communities are often served by twice as many retail stores as other similar sized towns

• Tourism communities typically offer a rich mix of retail

• Tourism communities tend to have more eating places, gift shops, apparel stores, sporting goods shops, and boat/RV/snowmobile dealers

II.II. Why Consider Tourism?Why Consider Tourism?Measuring Economic ImpactMeasuring Economic Impact

Clothing or shoes 77% Souvenirs 49% Books or Music 42% Specialty foods/beverages 41% Kids toys 39% Items/crafts, local or unique to destination 37% Jewelry or accessories 36% Home accessories or furnishings 23% Home electronics 16% Sports equipment 15% Camera and/or equipment 15% Artwork 15% Luggage 9% Camping equipment 7%

Source: Travel Industry of America Association (TIA) 2000

II.II. Why Consider Tourism?Why Consider Tourism?Measuring Economic ImpactMeasuring Economic Impact

III. Best Practices for Businesses and CommunitiesIII. Best Practices for Businesses and Communities

Community Strategies Adapted From Your Town: A Destination The 25 immutable Rules of Tourism Development by Roger Brooks and Maury

Forman

Businesses that Capture Visitor

SpendingTOURISM AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT STUDY:

Attracting Tourists To Local Businesses

• Recognize the importance of tourism to retail development • Analyze your tourism market• Describe successful community strategies for capturing

tourism dollars• Describe business strategies that could be used by

individual retail stores

– Create and Use a Tourism Development and Marketing Plan

– Work in Partnership– Recognize First Impressions & the Physical

Aspects of Your Community– Celebrate Your Uniqueness & Sense of

Place– Create Activities and Experiences that Will

Make Your Community a Real Destination

-Adapted from Your Town: The 25 Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism Development by Roger Brooks and Maury Forman

III.III. Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies

Create and Use a Tourism Development Create and Use a Tourism Development and Marketing Planand Marketing Plan

University of Minnesota Tourism Development manual

http://www.tourism.umn.edu/

• Planning: Why and How • Building Community Support• Organizing for Tourism Development

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Tourism Development Manual

Minnesota Department of Tourism

Work in PartnershipWork in Partnership Retailers do not have to be located in a particular business district to work together to serve tourists. Instead, they need to share a common market and work cooperatively to serve that market

Retailers find that customers value being able to buy directly from the producer

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Experiencing Agriculture

Farm Trails of Southwestern Wisconsin

Recognize First Impressions & the Physical Recognize First Impressions & the Physical Aspects of Your CommunityAspects of Your Community

The First Impressions Program was first developed by UW Extension in Grant County Wisconsin. Teams from partnering communities visit as secret shoppers and evaluate tourism amenities, the economy, infrastructure, and other community features.

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies First Impressions Program

First trialed in Fennimore, Wisconsin

Read more about this program: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/communities/firstimpressions/

Hospitality training was developed in Monroe County, Wisconsin in response to a need for customer service training

and training in creating an overall welcoming community environment.

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Community Hospitality Training

Monroe County, Wisconsin

Read more about this program: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/economies/tourism/documents/TourismTopicHospitalityTraining031309.pdf

Celebrate Your Uniqueness and Sense of Celebrate Your Uniqueness and Sense of PlacePlace

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Sharing History with Travelers

Galena, Illinois

What we can learn from Galena:– Business leaders should work

together to celebrate the character, culture and history of the town.

– The business mix in a town should provide a critical mass of retail products and services that are of particular interest to its visitors

– Local retailers should work cooperatively with local lodging establishments and others in the tourism industry

• What we can learn from Lanesboro:– Capitalizing on tourism does not necessarily mean a

loss of community character or identity– Even traditional retail businesses like hardware stores

can find numerous opportunities to expand their product lines to sell to tourists

– Businesses should expand their products around the activities and interests of visitors to the area

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Sharing The Great Outdoors with Bicyclists,

Canoeists, and Rafters Lanesboro, Minnesota

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Cheese Lovers in Paradise

Green County, Wisconsin

Smile, and say cheese! You're in southwestern Wisconsin's Green County - famous for Swiss heritage and ethnic cuisine, colorful festivals, and tasty local brews perfectly paired with award-winning cheese.

– Entrepreneurial creativity and public-private cooperation should be encouraged to help create a community identity (through design facilities, signs and services to fit the community’s character benefit from greater attracting power

– Visitors increasingly view shopping as a travel experience

– Local retailers should look for opportunities to serve both tourists and residents

– Small town business districts should capitalize on their unique heritage, charm and hospitality

– Community retailers should work together to create an unified theme for shoppers

– Businesses should work together to promote each other and keep the shopper in town longer

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Celebrating Heritage with Visitors

Germantown and New Glarus, Wisconsin

Create Experiences that will make Your Create Experiences that will make Your Community A True DestinationCommunity A True Destination

Tourism is more than marketing: it is directly related to good community planning and placemaking. This means considering things like land development patterns, circulation patterns, preserving natural and cultural resources, enhancing the local identify and sense of place, and creating areas that are instinctively attractive.

Remember the “Four Times Rule” Tourists need things to do for FOUR times as long as it takes to travel.

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Community Placemaking Through the Arts

Spring Green, Wisconsin

Images:http://housemouse.net/hkitch7.htm

Principles of Community Placemaking” by Steven Graybow, University of Wisconsin Extension

Each year the Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin hosts “Breakfast in a Victorian Kitchen” events that allow participants to create a meal using seasonal foods and traditional kitchen tools in the Villa’s Victorian Kitchen.

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Victorian Breakfast at Villa Louis

Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin

Community StrategiesCommunity Strategies Enticing Anglers and Outdoor Enthusiasts,

Boulder Junction, Wisconsin

– Retailers can capitalize on and preserve the unique recreational drawing power and image of their community

– As tourism varies by season, local retailers need to modify their products and services

What we can learn from Boulder Junction:

• Visitor profile• Identifying retail opportunities based on

attractions inventory and visitor profile

III.III. Best Practices for Businesses and CommunitiesBest Practices for Businesses and CommunitiesBusinesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Visitor Profile

• Geographic Market Segmentation– License Plate Surveys– Visitor Sign-in Books– Personal Checks– Zip code tracking– Customer Addresses

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Visitor Profile

• Demographics– Travel Party– Trip Purpose– Age– Gender– Marital Status– No. of Children– Education– Income– Occupation– Cultural– Disability/Health

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Knowing The CustomerRetail Strategies: Knowing The Customer

• Research your tourism market• Get to know your customer and their names• Know what attractions draw visitors to your

community

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Targeting The VisitorRetail Strategies: Targeting The Visitor

• Become a regular stop for bus tours

• Recognize that local residents also enjoy shopping like a tourist

• Recognize that tourists are not necessarily “vacationers.”

• Recognize the market of friends and relatives.

• Recognize the market of second-home owners.

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: LocationRetail Strategies: Location

• Location, location, location• Benefit from traffic congestion• Locate business near other tourist-oriented

retailers• Locate near tourist attractions• Provide parking for buses

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Store AppearanceRetail Strategies: Store Appearance

• Examine the first impressions visitors may have of your business

• Have a window show to grab the attention of pedestrians

• Reflect the architecture of the community in the building

• Use sidewalk displays

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: AtmosphereRetail Strategies: Atmosphere

• Appeal to the senses of sight, smell and sound• Building interior décor should reflect area

theme• Design your store to accommodate the leisure

traveler• Make shopping easy for parents

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: ExperienceRetail Strategies: Experience

• Offer an authentic experience• Provide an entertaining and

fun experience• Give customers a hands-on

experience• Provide an educational

experience• Provide samples• Conduct different weekly

events• Offer tours of your community

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: ProductsRetail Strategies: Products

• Ask and listen to the customer for product ideas• Continually seek new suppliers and unique items• Sell products that display the name of your store• Sell products that the visitors can take with them• Stock items that the traveler may have forgotten• Offer products for kids• Personalize products• Sell local and authentic products

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: PricingRetail Strategies: Pricing

• Don’t compete strictly on price• If you sell “cheap”

merchandise, don’t disguise it• Offer something for free• Recognize that many visitors

are seeking good deals• Sell some affordable products

in all stores

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Inventory ManagementRetail Strategies: Inventory Management

• Introduce new inventory on a regular basis• Adjust inventory on a seasonal basis• Keep stocking items that sell• Don’t get buried in old inventory

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: ConvenienceRetail Strategies: Convenience

• Accept advanced or special orders• Accept credit cards and traveler’s

checks• Accept foreign currency• Be a source for recreational licenses• Keep regular hours• Provide clean restrooms• Offer free gift-wrapping• Offer rentals• Provide repair services to visitors• Offer delivery and shipping

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: HospitalityRetail Strategies: Hospitality

• Develop a mission statement that recognizes hospitality

• Hire and take care of good employees• Smile and practice effective human relations• Teach employees about the area• Know other languages• Post road maps• Provide visitor information

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Stand Behind Your Retail Strategies: Stand Behind Your

ProductsProducts

• Guarantee your products and services• Improve your out-of-town return policy• Sell products that you know and trust

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Reaching the VisitorRetail Strategies: Reaching the Visitor

• Develop an effective Yellow Page listing.

• Develop an effective brochure• Develop a mailing list from a sign-in

book• Reach guests at local lodging

facilities• Reach tourists via e-mail• Word-of-mouth referrals• Write press releases• Offer catalog sales

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending

Retail Strategies: Strengthen Ties with Your Retail Strategies: Strengthen Ties with Your CommunityCommunity

• Become active in the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street, business improvement district and tourism promotion groups

• Conduct reciprocal promotions with other businesses

• Participate in community-wide promotions

Businesses that Capture Visitor SpendingBusinesses that Capture Visitor Spending Retail Strategies: Encouraging Repeat Retail Strategies: Encouraging Repeat

BusinessBusiness

• Become a fond tradition for visitors. Focus on building repeat business

• Provide incentives to taxi drivers, tour bus drivers and guides

TOURISM AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT TOURISM AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT Attracting Tourists To Local BusinessesAttracting Tourists To Local Businesses

The publication “Tourism & Retail Development: Attracting Tourists to Local Businesses (#G3713)” is available through University of Wisconsin Extension Publications, 1-877-947-

7827

For additional information or help putting this information to work in your community, contact:University of Wisconsin-Extension

Center for Community Economic Development610 Langdon Street, Lowell Hall-3rd Floor

Madison, Wisconsin 53703-1104Phone 608-265-8136

Web address - www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/

• How does tourism fit in into our economic future?

• Which of these strategies would work best here?

• What are some other examples of tourism that would be a good fit for our community? What makes this a good example?

• Are there examples of tourism development that wouldn’t be a good fit for our community?

IV.IV. Discussion & QuestionsDiscussion & Questions

Thank you!

Laura BrownCommunity & Economic Development Educator

Crawford County University of Wisconsin Extension

Laura.brown@ces.uwex.eduBill Ryan

Tourism Specialist, University of Wisconsin Extension

Center for Community & Economic DevelopmentBill.ryan@ces.uwex.edu