A letter from Destinations and Planners
As the U.S. continues to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, competition for residents, workers, and visitors is becoming more and more intense. To gain a competitive advantage, cities, universities, workplaces, churches, and other place-based communities must redefine their purpose, moving beyond just a place where people live, work, learn, and worship. They must aspire to become places where people want to be.
So what can attractions and destinations teach non-tourism businesses? Just as a zoo or theme park intentionally creates an experience for guests, other types of businesses, such as workplaces and cities, can do the same. As the Wall Street Journal recently reported, many of today’s businesses are investing in amenity-rich buildings and campuses to not only attract and retain workers, but also to encourage them to leave the comforts of their homes and return to the office. And these prime office locations – filled with game rooms, fitness areas, cafeterias, and unique outdoor spaces for gathering and relaxing – are going for a pretty penny!
As destination planners and designers, we know that the experience isn’t just about the products offered inside your gates. What does it feel like to be in the space? What is the arrival experience? Does the place embody aspects of the surrounding community or does it have its own brand independent of location? Successful attractions have taught us that there is power in creating strong ties to the surrounding community and embodying the local personality to create a place that is unique and reflects local values.
As members of a larger community, all businesses must share responsibilities with the other businesses, employees, and residents in that ecosystem. How does this impact your role in the community? Since COVID-19 began, Anheuser Busch has been focusing efforts on investing in its local communities, working to assist other businesses, workers, and patrons during recovery.
As an employer, what is your obligation to other stakeholders in the community? If you are a seasonal attraction, do you invest in your employees to help them during the offseason? How do you support other businesses in the area that depend on your operations to make a profit?
COVID-19 has reinforced that we can no longer exist or operate in a bubble. To succeed, and in some cases, survive, we must come together with our communities and collaborate to find new solutions that benefit all. And who knows, you may find new brand extensions and economic opportunities to help both your business and your community grow.
How can we work together to build destinations, traditional and non-traditional, and strengthen our communities at the same time?
- Tiffany Rawson and Catherine Hamacher
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