The breathtaking landscapes. Historic landmarks. A vibrant culture. In tourism, it is easy to focus on the assets that make your destination unique. It is important to remember that the true heartbeat of any area is the people who work, live, and play locally.
The way local people feel about your tourism efforts can make your tourism dreams take off, or well, crash and burn. That is why engaging and collaborating with your community is not just a nice gesture; it is a strategic move that benefits everyone.
When it comes to building and managing strong local relationships, the most effective approach is Advocacy & Community Engagement (ACE).
As a destination management strategy, ACE spotlights how tourism benefits residents, business owners, and government officials in a specific area, including tax savings for households and total economic impact. Developing and acting on an effective ACE approach can be done in three steps.
Understanding your community’s feelings about tourism is your first step. It is the best way to get a picture of the range of people’s perceptions, identify where you already have support, and uncover potential hurdles. The only way to get this baseline is by listening.
There are many ways to listen to your community. Try starting with a tourism stakeholder survey to gauge sentiment about tourism, views on the importance of visitors in a community, and interest levels of increasing visitor volume, among other topics. Holding town halls, meeting with local elected officials, and talking to influential local groups can also uncover details about how your area feels about tourism.
Tourism benefits everyone, from local businesses and nonprofits to the people who call your community home. Despite the many advantages, some local people may also have concerns about overcrowding, influences on housing prices, or stresses on local resources.
To ease negative feelings, remind the folks in your area that tourism has a ripple effect. When tourists visit a destination, they need places to stay, eat, shop, and explore. Local places, from restaurants and gift shops to museums, benefit from the increased revenue, which leads to job creation for people in the area. Those same tourists also pay taxes—sales tax, lodging tax, and even restaurant taxes, depending on local and state policies. Money from state and local taxes can be used to support local nonprofits and reduce tax burdens on local people.
Explain the benefits of tourism in a well-planned set of communications. Be sure to include the results of your listening tour, the total economic impact, and the expected return on investment in tourism.
Additionally, make sure you have a multi-channel strategy that includes a variety of planned presentations, fact sheets, social media campaigns, and community forums to have the broadest reach with your message.
Community support is a gift that keeps on giving. Engaging with your community ensures that any tourism effort is done with the sustainability of your region in mind. Tourism is not just attracting new visitors to your area; it is about creating mutual benefit for tourists and locals alike. Investing time in gaining buy-in will give your DMO the best chance to realize that benefit.
Local people are also the best ambassadors. You want members of the local community to embrace the brand identity of your area and share it with visitors and potential visitors. By building a strong relationship with locals, you are unlocking one of your ultimate tourism moves!
As you plan the next stage of your tourism strategy, remember the awesome locals who give your destination its unique charm. When you do, you will watch your destination shine in ways you never imagined!
Contact DestinationiQ today to boost community engagement in your region.
Kirsten has always been driven by curiosity and connection. Her love for travel, the outdoors, and discovering new places fuels both her personal adventures and professional passion for helping destinations reach their fullest potential.
Before joining DestinationiQ, Kirsten spent several years in the hospitality industry, where she developed a deep appreciation for exceptional guest experiences and the power of meaningful relationships. She joined DestinationiQ in early 2022 as an administrative assistant, quickly immersing herself in every facet of the company. Her eagerness to learn, natural leadership, and ability to bring teams together led her to grow into the role of Project Manager and ultimately, Account Director.
Kirsten thrives on equipping people and organizations to be the best they can be, whether she’s helping a client strengthen their destination identity or supporting her team behind the scenes. When she’s not working, you’ll find her exploring new places, spending time with her family, or finding the next trail to wander.
Lindsay has been an explorer her entire life. She has traveled much of the world, falling in love with all the outdoor recreational opportunities, geologic diversity, rich history, and cultural depth it has to offer.
She began working with DestinationiQ in 2016, where she encouraged the company to focus even more on Destination Management and easily moved into an account director position where she further shines a light on her communications, relationship-building, strategic planning, and leadership skills; guiding clients on a successful path of tourism evolution.
Lindsay’s extensive network includes tourism directors and board members, social media influencers, members of state tourism offices, journalists, photographers, business leaders, and more.
Bryan is the president and owner of DestinationiQ. He has decades of experience in the tourism field and remains on the cutting edge of the industry. He firmly believes in building open and honest long-term relationships through transparent communication and providing regions with sustainable and responsible tourism strategies that have a significant economic impact.
Years ago, he recognized the ROI on tourism far outpaced many other investments, yet there was always a gap where traditional tourism consultancies and regional staff were seldom able to do everything they need to do. DestinationiQ was born to meet these needs and fill the gap; treating our clients as the experts, actively listening to their goals, forming long-lasting partnerships, and functioning as an extension of their teams, overseeing budget decisions, crafting tourism programs, executing marketing plans, and delivering the products and services they need and deserve.
