4 Ways to Improve Local Business and Tourism
Vibrant communities aren’t insular. They hum with a combination of local activity and visits from others who want to take advantage of what’s there. The more there is to see and do, the more appealing a place will be to everyone, especially visitors.
This is important, because businesses need a healthy influx of dollars from both insiders and outsiders. It’s up to the community to make sure it has plenty of activities and attractions to draw people in. Even the best business can’t stand on its own. It does, as they say, take a village.
There are dozens of ways communities can improve local business and tourism to attract people and their pocketbooks. All those sales benefit business owners as well as everyone who lives there. Here are four ways to rally yours.
1. Make Some Attractions Free
Nothing attracts a crowd like free attractions. However, not just any destination will do. You need to offer quality, safety, and beauty in ways that appeal to a broad swath of people.
If you’re wondering where to begin, start with your parks. Green spaces, tables, water features, and playgrounds are magnets for locals and tourists alike. These fun and relaxing spots can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age or financial status.
Central to every park should be a playground where kids can work off some energy. Just remember that your equipment will be put to the test. Kids may be small, but they’re aggressive with their playtime.
Don’t go shopping for equipment at your local big box retailer. Slides, swing sets for kids, and other items should be commercial grade to last over time. So should benches, tables, and other park features. Fun isn’t the only consideration. Durability is as well, so invest in it.
Offer locals and visitors a great free space and your park will be a busy one. Visitors will still spend money in local restaurants, shops, and hotels. But when they need a break, they’ll run for a different type of green.
2. Sponsor Special Events
Events are magnets, not only for tourists, but also for locals who might not otherwise get out much. Festivals, live performances, cultural events, and participation opportunities pique the interest of travelers. And they can attract them during quieter times in the community, bringing in dollars when they’re least expected.
A study of leisure travelers planning trips in 2024 found that 64% of them were looking for destinations offering signature events. Put food, beverages, and music at the heart of one and the attraction is even stronger.
“Signature” is an important concept here. If you’re doing the same event as everyone else, it won’t draw large crowds. You’ll need to stand out in the crowd of experiences. So, figure out what you can tie to your unique history and use it to your advantage.
Maybe your community has strong ties to a particular culture. Perhaps you are the location of an infamous historical event. Latch onto a famous person who grew up there or highlight a special community within your larger one.
Of course, your infrastructure may limit your choices unless you invest in changing them. But your tourist dollars can go a long way toward funding it. Find what makes your community different and create an event that capitalizes on it. People may come from far and wide to enjoy what you have.
3. Cater to Varied Interests
Although a special event might have a more focused appeal, your community probably has varied ones. Use those to your advantage to give multiple audiences a reason to come to town.
If you have several antique stores or flea markets, target audiences of those aficionados to let them know. Do you have multiple craft breweries, a great farmer’s market, or a model car museum? Appeal to prospects who are looking for those places to go.
Don’t forget what’s outside. If you like places where you can hike, kayak, float, camp, climb, fish, hunt, or watch birds, don’t hide it. A significant number of people are drawn to nature-related attractions.
Just remember that packaging options have a stronger appeal than taking a scattershot approach. It’s important that when you’re enticing visitors to area wineries that you promote your brewers and distillers as well. A couple of days of roughing it outside can be followed by a couple more in a quaint B&B or luxurious spa.
The more your community has to offer visitors, the more likely you’re going to appeal to them as a destination. It could be for a day or for a while. Give the people what they want, and they will come and spend their money with you.
4. Build a United Front
Virtually every community has a chamber of commerce or tourism office. A primary purpose of these organizations is to promote local businesses and attractions collectively. They shouldn’t play favorites. A community’s strength lies in offering diversity.
However, a chamber or tourism office is only as good as the number of business interests it can bring together. There must be a buy-in of shared priorities, goals, messaging, image, and promotional efforts. Otherwise, those efforts won’t have the draw you need to benefit local business and tourism.
There is truly strength in numbers. If people only know about the one store downtown that promotes itself, it might not be worth the trip. But if they know there are several in a location, it’s a great excuse to go there.
It can be challenging to get competitors to work together rather than against one another. It may take some convincing that neither of them is enough on its own. But both will benefit if they join forces to attract customers.
Attracting traffic to local businesses and tourism is a team effort. Get everyone on board with the same message and it will be heard loud and clear.
There’s Always Room for Improvement
Even if your businesses and tourist attractions are busy, there’s always room for more. Use these ideas to improve on yours and watch your community thrive.
