Downtowns & tourism should be joined at the hip

Downtowns are critical to the success of any tourism industry. The fastest growing industry in the U.S. and in North America is tourism. It's the fastest growing industry in all 50 states. In fact, it is a $700 Billion industry annually in the U.S. alone. The number one diversionary activity of visitors, in the world, is shopping, dining and entertainment in a pedestrian-friendly, intimate setting. This is where a full 80% of visitor spending takes place. Why do you think Disney built Downtown Disney right outside of Disney World? To capture that 80%.

To follow that up, consider the following points:

1. The heart and soul of any community, besides its people, is its downtown. It is the litmus test for the "health" of a community. But is it a place where locals hang out? Spend time after work or on weekends? If not, then it's not necessarily healthy.

2. 70% of all consumer and visitor spending takes place after 6:00 pm. Are you open? Do you have gathering places full of life and activity? Are shops open after 5:00?

3. Italy is the world's most popular tourist destination. Nearly every single town in the country wraps around a plaza - a gathering place ringed with restaurants destination retail shops, and every plaza includes activity: artisans in action, musicians, street performers, and fountains. The larger towns have several of these. People love to go where other people are. These "gathering areas" have worked incredibly well for more than 2,000 years. Yet most communities the U.S. still don't get it. We built our culture around transportation instead of around people.

4. People want vibrant downtowns, but since most cities can't get their acts together, developers have seen great opportunities and are building Lifestyle Retail Centers around the country - complete with plaza areas, entertainment, outdoor dining, and a carefully chosen mix of businesses - all open well into the evening hours. Think Branson Landing in Branson, Missouri. A perfect example.

5. People are moving back into downtowns - downtowns that are walkable, intimate, beautiful, and full of activities and life. "Bring downtown to life" should be the mantra of every downtown organization.

6. Many cities now "get it" and have created outstanding districts in their downtowns:

          • Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado

          • The Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas

          • Larmier Square in Denver, Colorado

          • The Pearl District in Portland, Oregon

          • Bricktown in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

          • Westlake Center in Seattle, Washington

          • Burlington, Vermont

          • Country Club Plaza in Kansas City

          • Asheville, North Carolina

          • Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California

And one of my personal favorites:

          • Greenville, South Carolina

#1. The ten things you need to know about branding

Branding is perhaps the most misunderstood concept in the world, yet here we are smack dab in the middle of the "Era of the Brand." In ten separate posts, we will detail ten of the most important rules we most often use in describing the process of branding a community.

1. Brands are perceptions

Your community's brand is what people think of you. It's a perception. Logos, slogans and nice looking ads are NOT brands. They are just marketing messages used to support and promote the brand. Do we go to Disneyland because their slogan is "The Happiest Place on Earth"? No, we go to Disneyland because of what we know of it, our feelings and perceptions of the theme park. The slogan simply reinforces that feeling.

#2: Brands are built on product

2. Brands are built on product

A brand is a promise, and that promise is built on product. Marketing is how you tell the world - how you drive the stake in the ground that says you "own" the brand. You MUST deliver on the promise - with activities, amenities, and ambiance that fulfill your brand promise. Back in the 70s Volvo owned the brand "the safest car," but this wasn't just self-proclaimed or an empty promise. In national tests, they were touted as the safest car to drive. Even though today they are in the middle of the pack in terms of safety, they still own the "safe car" brand.

#3. You must earn a brand

#3. Brands are earned: Sometimes good, sometimes bad

You never "roll-out" a brand. A brand is something you have to earn. Brands are built over time, particularly community brands. Often communities need to focus on "repositioning" or a "rebranding" effort in order to change perceptions of the community. Often the perceptions are worse than the reality. The process or repositioning is an arduous and time-consuming process that MUST start within the community. 

#4. Brands are built on PR and word of mouth

#4. Brands are built using public relations and word of mouth

You always build a brand through the art of public relations. Advertising is used to maintain your position, once you own the brand. Remember, brands are perceptions - what people think of you. Advertising is what you think of yourself. To succeed you need the third-party endorsement that effective public relations can provide. Start with the web. Blogs, YouTube, reviews, etc.

#5. Brands must be experiential

#5. Brands must be experiential

Community brands must be experiential or activity-driven, not just things to look at. Geography is not a brand,* historic downtowns are not a brand, scenery is not a brand. These are all part of the ambiance. The stage. You can develop a stunningly beautiful theater but if nothing is happening on stage, how many people will go there? Static attractions that are simply things to to see quickly become "been there, done that" experiences, and thus not sustainable brands.

* There are a few exceptions: Niagara Falls, Mt. Rushmore, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Grand Canyon, Old Faithful.

#6. Branding is the art of differentiation

#6. Branding is the art of differentiation

It's what sets you apart from everyone else. When someone mentions your community's name, what is the first thing that comes to mind? The name must become synonymous with the brand. When we mention the following communities, what's the first thing that pops into your mind?

a) Salem, Massachusetts

b) Hershey, Pennsylvania

c) Lancaster, Pennsylvania

d) Anaheim, California

e) Williamsburg, Virginia

What communities own these brands?

a) The country-music capital

b) The wine capital of the U.S.

c) The home of Elvis Presley

d) Disney World

e) Mardi Gras

Would you have ever heard of Salem, Massachusetts if it hadn't been for the Salem witch trials that took place 316 years ago? A brand sets you apart from everyone else and puts you on the map.