Western Carolina University has announced it will hold a conference to discuss downtown community roles in regional tourism, according to a press release from the university. The November 10 meeting — the third annual tourism-themed conference to take place at the college — will be held at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The conference, titled “LEAD:Tourism,” will focus on how healthy downtown districts in communities across western North Carolina impact overall tourism in the region and can boost economic prospects for each community.
Tourism and development experts will share their experiences and insights into successful community development and how to capture a piece of the growing tourism market in the region. Information on how to access grants and other community development funding will also be touched on.
“Much of the tourist spending and activity in Western North Carolina revolves around small rural towns,” says Steve Morse, director of WCU’s Hospitality and Tourism Program and organizer of the conference, in the attached press release. “To attract tourists, many small towns have enhanced and developed their main streets and surrounding areas to increase tourist spending that supports new business, jobs and significant investment in rural downtown districts.”
Last year’s conference drew an estimated 200 attendees, including representatives from chambers of commerce and economic development officials from across the region. The upcoming conference will feature presentations from U.S. tourism and destination marketing expert Berkeley Young; community economic development expert Becky Anderson, founder of HandMade in America; Liz Parham and Sherry Adams from the N.C. Main Street Center; former Georgia Main Street director Billy Parish and George Brown, dean of WCU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts, among others.
The tourism conference is part of a series of events spawned from the inaugural LEAD:WNC summit in 2014, in which community development leaders gathered to discuss the future of sustainable economic and community development.
The cost to attend this year’s LEAD:Tourism conference is $99 and includes lunch and a customized tourism economic fact sheet pertaining to your town or community. Sponsors for the conference include Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Duke Energy, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, Nantahala Outdoor Center and Smoky Mountain Host.
For more information on the 2015 LEAD:Tourism conference or to register to attend, check out wcu.edu/academics/edoutreach/conted/profdev/TourismConference.asp, contact the Division of Educational Outreach at 828-227-7397 (toll-free at 800-928-4968) or see the official press release below.
Press release:
WCU to host Nov. 10 conference on role of WNC downtowns in tourism industry
CULLOWHEE – A conference at Western Carolina University on Tuesday, Nov. 10, will focus on the impact that a healthy downtown district can have on attracting tourists and boosting the economy of the 26 westernmost counties of North Carolina.
Presented by the WCU College of Business, the third annual tourism-themed conference will be held in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding by 4 p.m.
Titled LEAD:Tourism, the conference is expected to attract elected and appointed government officials, representatives of tourism and economic development organizations and chambers of commerce, and owners and operators of private sector businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry.
The most recent tourism conference drew approximately 200 attendees, including chamber of commerce and economic development officials from across Western North Carolina.
“Much of the tourist spending and activity in Western North Carolina revolves around small rural towns,” said Steve Morse, director of WCU’s Hospitality and Tourism Program and organizer of the conference. “To attract tourists, many small towns have enhanced and developed their main streets and surrounding areas to increase tourist spending that supports new business, jobs and significant investment in rural downtown districts.”
Conference attendees will hear tourism and main street development experts share their experiences and success stories in developing local authenticity of communities and towns and capturing the growing tourism market in small towns, Morse said. Attendees also will learn about resources and grants available through the N.C. Main Street Center in the N.C. Department of Commerce, he said.
Topics will include the things tourists are looking for in downtowns, economic development strategies for downtown revitalization, best practices for small town main street development, turning local assets into community pride and tourist spending, understanding the economic power of authenticity, and the role of the creative arts in downtowns.
Among the scheduled speakers are U.S. tourism and destination marketing expert Berkeley Young; community economic development expert Becky Anderson, founder of HandMade in America; Liz Parham and Sherry Adams from the N.C. Main Street Center; former Georgia Main Street director Billy Parish; and George Brown, dean of WCU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts.
The conference also will repeat a popular attraction from previous events, when attendees received customized “tourism economic fact sheets” with detailed analysis on the impact of tourism on the economies of counties across WNC. The fact sheets are compiled by a senior-level tourism business analysis class in hospitality and tourism taught by Morse.
This year’s tourism conference is part of a series of “spin-off events” from the inaugural LEAD:WNC, a one-day summit convened in 2014 by WCU to discuss solutions leading to sustainable economic and community development. Launching an annual conference of regional leaders and thinkers to work collaboratively on solving regional issues was among the pledges made by WCU Chancellor David O. Belcher in his March 2012 installation address.
Cost of attendance at the LEAD:Tourism conference is $99 including lunch and free customized tourism economic fact sheets. For information or to register, visit the website tourism.wcu.edu or contact the Division of Educational Outreach at 828-227-7397 (toll-free at 800-928-4968).
The event is sponsored by Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Duke Energy, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, Nantahala Outdoor Center and Smoky Mountain Host.
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