Guidelines for

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Brought to you by the
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Introduction

• Check out our website at www.dced.state.ak.us/tou
  rism/guideline.htm
• Tourism development guidelines are designed to
  help you decide
• whether tourism could work in your community
• how to start making tourism work for you
• Also on the website are
• names and addresses of groups to contact for
  financial of technical help
• sample tourism development plans
• checklist for tourism development

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development

• Is Tourism for You?
• The entire community must be willing to work
  together to make tourism a success
• Dont expect miracles
• Lack of restrooms or places to eat and sleep for
  example,may become major problems
• Weigh the good and the bad
• Involve the whole community!
• Conduct survey or holdtown meetings

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development

• Pros
•  New jobs
•  Expanded economy
•  Clean industry
•  Investment opportunities
•  Community pride
•  New public facilities
•  Boosts local businesses
•  Promotes variety
•  May preserve heritage/culture
• Education and training

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development

• Cons
• Seasonal jobs, timing
•  Congestion
•  Disruptions or noise
•  No guarantees
•  Lifestyle changes
•  Higher taxes/fees
•  Seasonal markets
•  Social change
•  Maintenance costs

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Community Guidelines ECONOMIC Tourism should
create jobs and income for local residents and
maximize the income that remains in the community
to benefit residents SUBSISTENCE Tourism should
not conflict with residentsuse of subsistence
resources SOCIAL Tourism should be controlled
tominimize impact on the presentway of
life CULTURAL Tourism should emphasize
respectfor culture and history ENVIRONMENTAL Tou
rism should maintain or enhanceenvironmental
quality.
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
The Community Must be Supportive

• Establish clear guidelines to help insure
  full support of the tourism effort.
• Guidelines can be so strict that no tourism
  development is possible.
• Tourism development may not be possible.
• Proceed with the process when you are sure
  the community sincerely wants to be a part
  of the effort.

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Rural Tourism
Tourism may represent an opportunity to broaden a
communitys economic base, not by replacing other
businesses, but by adding to the number of
businesses and jobs.
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Who Should be Involved?

• Willing and interested people, and
• People with some experience, interest, or
  knowledge of tourism.
• Tourism development needs leadership.
• Leadership needs support.

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Five As of Successful Tourism Development
1. Attitude 2. Access 3. Accommodations 4.
Attractions 5. Advertising
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Attitude
Make Visitors Feel Welcome Provide Visitor
Information Invite Visitors Back
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Access
Frequency of access is less important than
dependability.Visitors will come if they are
sure about the schedule Use traditional
access.Dont assume that visitors are not
interested in traditional access, such as
riverboat or small plane Include people with
disabilities in your access decisions.
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Accommodations
Visitors need a place to sleepEven boats have
been used for visitor accommodations. In the more
remote locations, visitors will be satisfied, and
in many instances expect, rustic settings as long
as they are clean and well-managed. Visitors need
a place to eatCafé, restaurant, school, BB,
highlight local or Alaska specialties. Visitors
need restrooms If possible, provide restrooms,
bathing facilities, and accommodations that are
accessible to people with disabilities. Visitors
need local transportationTo and from airport,
ferry terminal, or dock, between lodging and
shopping, and from one attraction to
another. All means of transport are acceptable
as long as they are safe, dependable, and
reasonably priced.
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Attractions

• The most successful attractions are rooted in
  local history, geography and lore they are
  authentic
• Scenic Beauty
• Recreation
• Wildlife
• Natural Phenomena
• Historical Interest
• Cultural Interest
• Special Events
• Community Character

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Improve Your Local Attractions

• Provide Better Access
• Include Visitor Information
• Put Up Signs
• Allow Guided Tours
• Add Interpretation

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Advertising
Promote Your Community Identity There are Many
Ways to Advertise Brochures, Magazines,
Newspapers, Television, Travel Agents, Airlines,
and Cruise and Tour Companies
Business AdvertisingCooperative marketing
withlocal businesses Bundle your
CommunityAttraction as Part of aLarger Tour or
Package
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
What Kind of People Visit Alaska?

• Summer visitors to Alaska (80 of the annual
  visitors) are, for the most part, well-educated,
  married, have high-income managerial or
  professional careers, are slightly under 50 years
  old, and are most likely to come from the
• west coast,
• southeast and,
• midwest areas of the United States.
• They will stay for about a week and a half, over
  half will be independent travelers while the
  others will be traveling on an organized tour or
  cruise ship.

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Package Tour

• A prearranged and prepaid trip that includes
  transportation, t lodging, and other services
  necessary for visitor enjoyment.
• Can Your Community be Included in a Package Tour?
• Airlines
• Ferry
• Camping
• Camper/RV/Personal Vehicle
• Fishing/Hunting
• Winter Visitors
• Miscellaneous Outdoors
• Business Travelers
• Cultural or other Events

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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
How theOrganizedTourIndustryWorks
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
The Industry in Alaska
In Alaska, tourism marketing has traditionally
been directed towards visitors from other states
and countries. However, as the states population
grows, people who live in one area of the state
have begun to travel to other parts of the state
for business, recreation and vacation travel.
Today, anycommunity wishing to promotetourism
should seriouslyconsider marketing to
theirAlaska neighbors, who areeager to see
otherareas of the state.
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Hospitality is the Key
Good directional signs Literature printed in
an easy to read format and foreign languages,
if needed Clean restrooms Handicap
accessibility Convenient hours of local stores
and shops A visitor information center
Developed local attractions that are easy to
find Public telephones, park benches, flower
beds, and planters Walking tours and signs on
buildings and other attractions
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Guidelines for Community Tourism Development
Assistance
ALASKA DIVISION OF TOURISM P.O. Box
110801Juneau, AK 99811-0801 [phone](907)
465-3767 FAX Email GoNorth_at_dced.state.ak.us Websi
te http//www.dced.state.ak.us/tourism/
There are a number of organizations and agencies
who can provide assistance for rural tourism
development. Contact the Division of Tourism for
more information.