A Letter from PGAV Project Manager Tiffany Rawson
This is an exciting time for the attractions industry. After sixteen months of closing our doors, followed by a period of trial and error to safely welcome guests back amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seemingly turned the corner, and our beloved fans are returning. Finally—we can see the light again!
But before we cue the fanfare, destinations and other service-oriented businesses face a new set of problems. Many struggle to hire, train, and retain the staff required to meet attendance numbers and guest expectations, all while keeping everyone safe and healthy.
While these obstacles may be slowing the industry’s full recovery, they also provide us with a hidden opportunity, serving to extend this period of innovation and experimentation. Reflecting on a recent interview with Explore Asheville about their destination’s recovery, I am inspired by their progressive approach to dealing with the pandemic and its impact on the Asheville tourism industry. They used COVID-19 as a time to “hit pause,” stopping to think not only about how to help their tourism businesses through this slump, but also defining the goals and strategies that will enable their destination and community to emerge stronger with continued future success.
Businesses are all trying to understand what their financial projections and daily operations will look like post-pandemic. But how can we use this time to pause, step back, and look at the bigger picture? Instead of focusing solely on solutions, can we ask ourselves “Why” we do what we do and begin addressing the deeper weaknesses in our organizations and industry?
The pandemic accelerated the use of technology in guest touchpoints and transactions. Why do we have employees, what role(s) should they play, and how can we help them achieve their potential?
What opportunities are there to grow a new leadership team that better reflects the visitors and community served?
What are my attraction’s roles in the industry and local community, and how can we make a more profound impact?
Over the next few weeks, Destinology will look into these topics with the purpose of reminding us why we do what we do and explore options for doing things better.
We are returning, but it’s not enough to just thrive and meet/exceed 2019 attendance and financial levels. We have the rare opportunity now to truly transform our destination and our communities, integrating new strategies that work towards true sustainability—environmental, economic, and socio-cultural.
Now is the time to transform tourism.
-Tiffany Rawson
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