Uncover the Hidden Tourism Potential in Your Downtown

Sept. 5, 2012 - PRLog -- Packaging the downtown area as a tourist destination for arts and culture can be done in some unlikely locations. The key, says Bonita Kolb, is to understand your assets and package them to appeal to a range of potential visitors.

Kolb, the author of "Tourism Marketing for Cities and Towns," has drafted a model for developing the arts as a "tourist product."

The process should begin with what Kolb calls a product analysis — a thorough review of what the downtown and the local arts scene has to offer.

This can be a vast undertaking requiring considerable time and resources, and it should not be undertaken by one or two people, Kolb cautions. Even if they feel they have the time and resources, they should resist the temptation to work alone. "This is because people's opinions on what culture the downtown has to offer will vary. Everyone experiences the downtown's culture differently," Kolb says.

Older people, for example, might overlook a city's nightlife, while younger people might pass by sites of historical significance without a glance. Gender, age, and occupation are important variables, as are religion and ethnicity.

Additional details on packaging the downtown as a tourist destination appear in the September issue of "Downtown Promotion Reporter" and in "Tourism Marketing for Cities and Towns."

About the Downtown Research & Development Center

For over 50 years, the Downtown Research & Development Center has acted as the information clearinghouse on practical strategies and tactics for revitalizing the hearts of our cities and towns.

The Group's main activities include publishing the widely influential "Downtown Idea Exchange" and "Downtown Promotion Reporter" newsletters; publishing relevant books and reports; and operating the DowntownDevelopment.com website.

Website: http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com