By Andrea Hirsch
DANVILLE —
September 16, 2008 04:16 pm
—
More than 70 local residents and business owners attended a workshop earlier this week on promoting tourism in Hendricks County.
The Destination Assessment Workshop, hosted by the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, taught ways in which communities and businesses could do small things to make a huge difference to increase visitor spending.
During the fall of 2007, the HCCVB received a grant from the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and the Association of Indiana Convention and Visitors Bureaus to allow Destination Development, INC to assess 11 communities in Hendricks County.
Roger Brooks, president of Destination Development, presented “A look at Hendricks County, through the eyes of our visitors.” He said the most important tools in promoting a spot for tourism is giving gateway signs that tell people about the location and why they should visit; working on beautification of the area with items such as benches and flowers; promoting anchor businesses, which are businesses that are a staple in the community; creating a way finding system to make finding the location accessible to visitors; promoting what the community is known for, beginning with promoting one block of a “downtown” atmosphere; and playing up farmers’ and roadside markets.
“Hendricks County should be the place for families,” he said. ‘It’s a good place for people to come for a day. The county has the advantage of being close to the state’s largest metropolitan area, now they just need to figure out what they have that can bring people in.”
Jaime Bohler Smith, associate director of the HCCVB, said she thought the presentation was very informative.
“People were able to walk away with ideas that are applicable throughout all of the towns in Hendricks County,” she said. “It really made people think.”
After the presentation, many people talked amongst themselves on how informative the presentation was and what they are willing to do in their communities to promote tourism spending.
Judy Sexton, a business owner and resident of Coatesville, had the opportunity to meet with a member of Destination Development, INC and share her vision on how other businesses in the community could help bring people to the area. She was also among the many that attended the presentation.
“I am very pleased with the information that was presented today,” she said. “Our town is very remote and forgotten. We don’t have the greatest resources.”
Sexton said she plans to go to the Coatesville Town Council and other merchants in the area and share the suggestions offered in the presentation in hopes of improving tourism to the town.
In the next few weeks, Bohler Smith will receive a report back from Brooks. She said she plans to talk to economic groups in the county and discuss the firm’s suggestions.
“I want us to take some collaboration and pick what we can do to make an impact in the community and put it to use,” she said.
andrea.hirsch@flyergroup.com
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