Wednesday Wisdom: DMOs Partners in Visitor and Community Management
Providing ideas and insight that can inform agency and partner strategies for improvement of park, recreation and hospitality operations and assets
Photo Credit: @adamjang & @dsalcius
DMOs: Partners in Visitor and Community Management
Last week’s blog discussed the Gateway and Natural Amenity Region Initiative , a network of resources for professionals who are responsible for communities around public lands. Another entity that plays an important role in gateway communities are Destination Marketing Organizations, more commonly known as DMOs or tourism entities. DMOs can best be defined as entities that “coordinate, market and promote a community’s resources and businesses that support the tourism economy”. Most DMO’s are funded with Tourism Taxes which includes lodging, restaurant, car rental or other visitor services in a community.
Due to COVID-19, many DMO’s are experiencing decreases in their operating budgets and some are significantly reduced in size or have ceased to exist. CHMGS’ network of colleagues includes DMO professionals like Danna Stroud, who was recently working with a California Central Coast DMO. We asked her a couple of questions regarding the current and future role of DMOs.
1. DMO and Public Health: What role to you believe DMOs can play in assisting communities in dealing with visitors to their destinations and having them be prepared for COVID-19 visitor conditions?
“DMOs are the natural communicators of visitor values and behaviors. They can be taking the lead role in educating visitors regarding the community’s values and interests regarding tourism during this time. Conversely, the DMO also has a role in educating the residents on the value of outside visitors and the quality of life benefit it plays. The U.S. Travel and Tourism Association has some great resources that illustrate these ideas. DMO messaging needs to be transparent. For example Bend, Oregon recently recommended visitors, “stay home and stay safe”. Alternatively, Sonoma County’s DMO provided a video illustrating what travel to Sonoma County should look like and promoted community priorities for visitors. These actions provide residents confidence that their DMO is thinking of their needs first and foremost. During COVID-19, many DMOs have shifted to a destination management role for their communities.”
2. DMO and Residents: With some communities seeing decreases in international or regional travel, is there a role DMOs can play for residents?
“DMOs are used to welcoming and encouraging visitors to stay, spend and enjoy the community. Now is a time to refocus and have the DMO be a promoter OF the community TO the community. It is a great time for DMOs to help residents uncover the unique places and experiences in their community. This is an opportunity for DMOs to work with their tourism providers to encourage local and regional tourism products and promotions. What may not have been clear prior to COVID-19 is the role that DMOs play in providing a portion of a community’s operating budget. This is the time to educate communities about the fiscal benefits provided through results of the work of DMOs”.
3. DMO New Landscape: What are your thoughts in regard to how DMOs can reassess their role in a post COVID-19 world?
“DMOs should take this time to reevaluate their role in the community. While inbound tourism has always been a goal with growth a priority, this is a great time to reassess if there are other important metrics to evaluate. Metrics like community resiliency, landscape stewardship, resident health and well being, business retention, etc. While these are not roles typically focused on by DMOs ,this may be the time to identify if they could and should be. “
4. Are there some ideas or thoughts you have about how public land partners and communities can work with DMOs ?
“The main thing I would say, is if you are a public land steward and you haven’t introduced yourself to the local and regional DMO, you are missing a great partner and amazing knowledge and resources. If you have already done so, KUDOS.”
For more insight on these issues, SMG Consulting, Alignment Advising, and Danna hosted a webinar which can be found here.
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