Tourism development expert offers guidance
By BILL RICHMOND
City editor
More than 400 people Monday attended a presentation by tourism development expert Roger Brooks about things Randolph County can do to promote its tourism attractions and grow its economy.
Dr. Monica Dickson, a representative of Brooks' Destination Development, Inc., spent the entire month of June in Randolph County conducting an assessment of the county's tourism sites and businesses. Finding her way through the county without a guidebook or outside direction, Dickson looked for things that need improvement - and things that are being done right - that someone who lives here might not notice. She presented her findings, complete with slides of what she saw.
"Temporary signs create a negative impression," she said. "Too many signs clustered together are too much to read. I call this 'sign blight.' Remember - first impressions are lasting impressions."
Brooks said signage is a great investment if done right. It is likely the most efficient form of advertising in the number of people it influences per dollar spent.
Dickson said unkempt signage sends a wrong message about who you are and what you hope to accomplish. While effective signage can create a dramatic increase in business, sometimes no sign is better than a bad sign.
Brooks said he would like to see Randolph County do a county-wide signage program identifying the location of attractions and community gateways.
A tourism-friendly city will spawn non-tourism industries faster," he said. "It is your front door to attracting industry. People will visit a community before they establish a business there. If it's not a good place to visit, they won't move their business there.
"Downtown is the heart and soul of any community. It tells me if this is a place I want to invest in. If your local residents won't hang out in your downtown, neither will the visitors. A pedestrian-friendly setting encourages shopping and dining."
He stressed the importance of creating community gathering places. It has worked for thousands of years for Italy, he said, where cities were built around public plazas.
Brooks said the number one reason people stop while traveling is for public restrooms. He said they often later make purchases by impulse or out of guilt.
"You have tremendous potential," Brooks said. "It's a beautiful area and we've enjoyed being here. The business community needs to take the lead to make this work."
Randolph County Director of Tourism and Community Development Kirsten Oswalt said many local residents expressed excitement about Brooks' message for the community.
"I had people stop me after the presentation and have received several e-mails this morning from people who say they are excited about getting these things done," Oswalt said Tuesday. "That is the goal - to get community support to put these ideas into action."
Brooks is co-author of the book, "Your Town: A Destination - The 25 Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism," which outlines his plan for community development. His presentation was funded by a grant through the Indiana Department of Tourism Development; a grant from the Community Foundation of Randolph County; private funding; and donations from the City of Winchester and the Winchester Area Chamber of Commerce.
The presentation was preceded by a Randolph County tourism exhibition. Approximately 30 local tourism-based attractions participated in the exhibition - 27 businesses had booths while others had brochures available.
Things to do that can make a difference
By Roger Brooks
€ Put gateways where they make the first, best impression.
€ Work on beautification, particularly for businesses.
€ Promote your "anchor" businesses (as a shopping mall would). Find and promote hidden gems.
€ Connect the dots with a countywide wayfinding system.
€ Find your niche by community.
€ Start your improvement plan with one block as a demonstration project.
€ Nurture the arts. Let people see artists in action.
