In communities where skepticism about the economic power of tourism still exists, tourism and economic development professionals can easily make the case that tourism contributes to improving the quality of life in the community.
In many cases, making the case for tourism’s contribution to economic development and the local economy means just taking credit for what actually occurs. All the revenue streams, economic growth, and other economic development that is generated by tourism must be carefully calculated, tracked, and published on a regular basis, to establish the value of the tourism program over the long term to illustrate the scope and scale of what tourism delivers.
The long list of what, in addition to the economic impact of visitor spending, that tourism contributes includes:
- Economic growth in less time for dramatically less money
- Inclusion of most or all the community’s small businesses
- Job creation
- Quality of life enhancement
- Infrastructure Improvement
- Attracting new residents
- Historic building restoration
- Cultural and heritage preservation
- Stronger support for the arts
- Promotion of local products
- Increased recreational opportunities and conservation
- Diversification of income
- Preserving land in family ownership
- Enhanced community services
