Cultural Heritage Tourism: Five Steps for Success and Sustainability
Every place has a story to tell, often found in historic sites or cultural traditions of the people who settled or currently live in a community, city, region, or state. When these stories and places are shared with visitors, this activity becomes what is known as cultural heritage tourism. Success and sustainability in this growing […]
The Future 100: 2.0.20 (May 13, 2020)
Released annually by Wunderman Thompson, this consumer trends report has been updated to reflect the changing environment due to the COVID-19 crisis (released May 13, 2020). The Future 100: 2.0.20 features 20 of the original 100 consumer trends that have been escalated or accelerated due to the pandemic, and also five additional trends worthy of […]
Marketing vs. Management – A Lesson from COVID-19 and the Faroe Islands
The current COVID-19 crisis has elevated the question about how organizations should be funded to market destinations, particularly in the U.S. Typically, destination marketing organizations (DMOs, sometimes called Convention & Visitors Bureaus) are funded through an accommodations or occupancy tax – an amount added to each visitor’s stay at a recognized lodging property (hotel, motel, […]
30 and Still Relevant
In 1989 I had the great privilege of working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation on a new initiative to study the relationship between preservation and promotion. That initiative led to a heritage tourism movement that has lasted three decades, in part to five principles guiding asset-based economic development. These five principles continue to […]
Belize: Sustainable Tourism in Emerging Destinations
The consulting class at The George Washington University’s Master of Tourism Administration program set out to develop a sustainable tourism plan for the culture focusing on its distinctive culture, heritage, and nature. Two teams conducted inventory assessments and met with local community/tourism industry leaders to inform the plan. The result was a comprehensive report with […]