Big Attractions: New Demand Generators

Expanding the local tourism industry into an attractive spot for weekend trips is a significant task. The region lacks a large and unique attraction, such as an amusement park or convention center that would serve to draw in large crowds of visitors from afar. Other entertainment amenities such as a better array of restaurants, shops or evening entertainment would also serve to enhance tourism and, at the same time, the attractiveness of the region to local and relocating residents.

Marketing Together: Invite Them for a Night

As a first step, Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties could market attractions together, rather than as individual cities, persuading visitors to stop for a night and enjoy several attractions at a time. The tourism industry concluded that they lacked a coherent marketing and promotion campaign across the entire region. The image and assets of the region needed to be packaged as a place for deliberate visits rather than short interludes on a road trip to somewhere else.

Weak Tourism Support Infrastructure

In addition, tourism support infrastructure, such as transportation and visitor information, is not well focused. There is a lack of adequate public transportation across the region and taxi cabs are poorly maintained. Taxi drivers and local tourism workers do not appropriately "sell" the destinations in the region either. Better trained tourism workers and a more supportive tourism infrastructure would enhance the local industry.