Videos Viewed:
Honduras
http://revver.com/video/1928753/discover-honduras/
http://letsgohonduras.com/
Niagara Falls
http://www.niagara-usa.com/youtube_video.html
China
http://www.cntovideo.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvfwBU_G4Hg
Australia
http://lensonaustralia.viotv.com/
Belgium
http://www.visitbelgium.com/
Costa Rica
http://www.tourism-costarica.com/Video/index.cfm
Hawaii (24 hours in Waikiki)
http://www.gohawaii.com/stories/stories.html?video=21&cid=2009r3stories_home02
Germany
http://www.germany-tourism.de/
Luxembourg
http://www.visitluxembourg.lu/video-en.html
Switzerland Fribourg Region
http://www.myswitzerland.com/video/index.cfm?id=3494
North Carolina Office of Tourism
http://www.visitnc.com/journeys/multimedia/about-nc/1/tour-the-state-in-3-24-minutes/#view
South Carolina Office of Tourism
http://www.discoversouthcarolina.com/plan-your-trip/video-gallery.aspx
Virginia Office of Tourism
http://www.virginia.org/pressroom/live_passionately.asp
Top 5 Videos:
- North Carolina Office of Tourism
- Germany
- China
- Honduras
- Belgium
Best Video:
After reviewing these various types of videos that are used to attract tourists to various destination sites, the one video that caught my eye was the one on China. Although this video was a little longer than most tourism videos should be in order to keep the attention of the viewer, it had many features that kept the viewer engaged and intrigued about what else China has to offer. In this video, the tourism department is able to evoke the mood in the viewer that China has something for everyone to do and experience no matter what their individual interests may be.
One of the key concepts in this video was the progression of the cinematography with the effective use of the music in connecting with the viewer’s emotions. At the beginning of the video there are numerous nature and solitude images that are paired with soft, slow, and tranquil music. As the video progresses, the music speeds up and raises its volume as the tourist begins to see various cultural aspects of China. The music and video once again increases in energy and volume as the more modern activities are shown such as: interacting with family members, shopping, fine dining, outdoor recreation, etc.
Not only does this video allow for viewers to see the diverse aspects of the China region along with attracting the emotions of all individuals, but it also achieves the main tourism video purpose of making people want to travel to the country. In watching this video, I had renewed interest in China because I felt that there was a unique and diverse experience that just one country could offer me. Although I am unable to understand the lyrics to the music that is being played or why some people are interested in various cultural attractions, like the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics there is an immediate connection made with the experiences and music in this video with the audience.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Resort!
I recently visited the fabulous city of Las Vegas for a birthday adventure and was hard pressed as far as where to stay for the weekend. Several friends were excited about staying in a hotel on the Strip that way they had easier access to the entertainment; however, I was looking for something more removed and away from all of the 24-hour hustle and bustle. That’s when I found the Grandview at Las Vegas Resort. As a popular destination for many timeshare owners, the Grandview offers condo style living amenities about 5 miles away from the busy downtown Las Vegas Strip. I booked a room at the resort prior to traveling to the area because of its location away from the Strip, but I was soon blown away by the offerings of the resort. Upon arriving at the resort, I realized that it was much larger than I expected with 8 high rise buildings to accommodate guests. Once I went through the very painless check-in process, I entered into one of the most extravagant hotel rooms I have ever seen, and although I am fairly young I have seen both good and bad hotel rooms. The amenities of the room were far beyond my expectations from the granite counter topped and fully equipped kitchen to the large living area all the way to the “extremely comfortable bed” and large bathroom (Joyce, 1). Although these amenities blew my mind, the customer service at the resort is what really set it apart in my mind and made it a very successful destination that could effectively handle a high volume of visitors. I mentioned earlier the ease of the check in process and despite checking in on a Friday evening at a very busy resort there were several guest service people assisting me throughout the check in process in order to ensure that I got in and out of the registration area and up to my room as quickly as possible. During the time spent at the resort, I was never once pressured into listening to sales pitches for timeshares or purchasing something that I did not want to buy although some guests have experienced that at this resort. Although you will always have disgruntled guests at any resort, the overall perception that I got from other guests was that they were highly satisfied with every part of their experience. The best customer service that I experienced from the Grandview was after my stay at the resort. On the drive home, we realized that we had left four of my girlfriend’s dresses and a valuable string of pearls behind and rather than having to return to the hotel to get them, they shipped the dresses and pearls safely to our house in Arizona. The Grandview also has sent a thank you note and a post stay survey to me along with other promotional offers to try and gain a return visit. Although I have no plans to go to Las Vegas any time soon, I would definitely stay at the Grandview at Las Vegas Resort again.
Joyce, Christa. Grandview Resort Las Vegas. Retrieved on October 25, 2009, from
http://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=12157.
Joyce, Christa. Grandview Resort Las Vegas. Retrieved on October 25, 2009, from
http://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=12157.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Management Review
It is quite fitting to take a look back at a management book written ten years ago that tries to explain the future of management in developing countries. Peter Drucker’s Management Challenges for the 21st Century is a thought provoking book that provides keen insight into the various challenges and opportunities that are available in the 21st Century.
In the recreation and tourism world of management there are various styles in which managers and leaders must learn to interact with not only various types of customers, but also manage and interact with a diverse group of employees. Early in Drucker’s book, he immediately dismisses the common ideology that there is only one right way to manage people. However, he states that “the goal is to make productive the specific strengths and knowledge of the individual” (Drucker, 22). Each individual person and unique organization has specific strengths and talents that must be utilized affectively in order for the organization to be a success. Therefore, the leader or manager must manage people in a way that focuses on these strengths to create a productive environment.
Although not all organizations and people can be managed the same way, there is one important aspect that all management teams must have and that is the ability to change. A leader within any industry must be willing to promote change by “look(ing) for change, know(ing) how to find the right changes, and know(ing) how to make them effective both outside the organization and inside it” (Drucker, 73). Every organization must be willing to adapt to the every changing surroundings of society, because if they do not they will suffer an abysmal downfall that will force the organization to finally close its doors.
There is one point that Drucker makes that does not align with the tourism industry and that is the belief that an individual must be educated by those around them. It states, “If the marketing vice-president does not understand what these high-grade knowledge specialists are doing, it is primarily their fault, and not that of the marketing vice-president. They have not told her. They have not educated her.” (pg. 187). However, it is HER responsibility to train and educate herself in the new position to understand what the high-grade knowledge specialists are doing within the organization and conversely tell them what she does and how she performs.
Also, Drucker emphasizes that an individual must be able to manage oneself by figuring out who they are based on their individual ethics and values, what their strengths are, and what their contribution to the organization will be. Ethics is important in the professional life of any individual and will determine if they can be a productive employee within the organization or if the values that they have conflict with what is asked of them. When the ethics and values of an individual do not align with those of the organization, it is important that the individual change their work environment and not try to change their values.
In one of Drucker’s chapters, he discusses the productivity of the knowledge worker in today’s society and how each individual has a unique offering to the workplace because of their specific knowledge that only they possess, unlike the manual worker who has learned a task that can not be transferred to another work environment. Drucker points out that the individual must be given responsibility over their work and with that the freedom and autonomy to complete the task as their knowledge and expertise will allow them. In the unique service industry of recreation and tourism, if employees are not empowered, by being given the ability to make decisions, to meet the needs and desires of guests then there would be very little success within the industry.
Stephen McIntosh wrote an article about Drucker’s book and how he was able to relate the management challenges within the book to a more human resources perspective. One of the key elements that McIntosh is able to pull from the book, is the idea that “our employees will be operating in a virtual workplace” (McIntosh, 2). He realizes that with the new information age people are going to be involved with human resources at an entirely different level that is going to require many technology savvy knowledge workers in order to be effective in the workplace.
Overall, although Drucker’s book is a decade old, it still has the potential to tell us about what is going on in our society today in regards to effective and ineffective management as well as outlining some of the current managerial problems that plague our society today.
Drucker, Peter F. Management Challenges for the 21st Century. Harper Business, 1999,
207 pages.
McIntosh, Stephen S. "Management Challenges for the 21st Century –Book Review-." HR
Magazine. October 15, 1999. Retrieved on October 12, 2009 from:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_11_44/ai_58174742/.
In the recreation and tourism world of management there are various styles in which managers and leaders must learn to interact with not only various types of customers, but also manage and interact with a diverse group of employees. Early in Drucker’s book, he immediately dismisses the common ideology that there is only one right way to manage people. However, he states that “the goal is to make productive the specific strengths and knowledge of the individual” (Drucker, 22). Each individual person and unique organization has specific strengths and talents that must be utilized affectively in order for the organization to be a success. Therefore, the leader or manager must manage people in a way that focuses on these strengths to create a productive environment.
Although not all organizations and people can be managed the same way, there is one important aspect that all management teams must have and that is the ability to change. A leader within any industry must be willing to promote change by “look(ing) for change, know(ing) how to find the right changes, and know(ing) how to make them effective both outside the organization and inside it” (Drucker, 73). Every organization must be willing to adapt to the every changing surroundings of society, because if they do not they will suffer an abysmal downfall that will force the organization to finally close its doors.
There is one point that Drucker makes that does not align with the tourism industry and that is the belief that an individual must be educated by those around them. It states, “If the marketing vice-president does not understand what these high-grade knowledge specialists are doing, it is primarily their fault, and not that of the marketing vice-president. They have not told her. They have not educated her.” (pg. 187). However, it is HER responsibility to train and educate herself in the new position to understand what the high-grade knowledge specialists are doing within the organization and conversely tell them what she does and how she performs.
Also, Drucker emphasizes that an individual must be able to manage oneself by figuring out who they are based on their individual ethics and values, what their strengths are, and what their contribution to the organization will be. Ethics is important in the professional life of any individual and will determine if they can be a productive employee within the organization or if the values that they have conflict with what is asked of them. When the ethics and values of an individual do not align with those of the organization, it is important that the individual change their work environment and not try to change their values.
In one of Drucker’s chapters, he discusses the productivity of the knowledge worker in today’s society and how each individual has a unique offering to the workplace because of their specific knowledge that only they possess, unlike the manual worker who has learned a task that can not be transferred to another work environment. Drucker points out that the individual must be given responsibility over their work and with that the freedom and autonomy to complete the task as their knowledge and expertise will allow them. In the unique service industry of recreation and tourism, if employees are not empowered, by being given the ability to make decisions, to meet the needs and desires of guests then there would be very little success within the industry.
Stephen McIntosh wrote an article about Drucker’s book and how he was able to relate the management challenges within the book to a more human resources perspective. One of the key elements that McIntosh is able to pull from the book, is the idea that “our employees will be operating in a virtual workplace” (McIntosh, 2). He realizes that with the new information age people are going to be involved with human resources at an entirely different level that is going to require many technology savvy knowledge workers in order to be effective in the workplace.
Overall, although Drucker’s book is a decade old, it still has the potential to tell us about what is going on in our society today in regards to effective and ineffective management as well as outlining some of the current managerial problems that plague our society today.
Drucker, Peter F. Management Challenges for the 21st Century. Harper Business, 1999,
207 pages.
McIntosh, Stephen S. "Management Challenges for the 21st Century –Book Review-." HR
Magazine. October 15, 1999. Retrieved on October 12, 2009 from:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_11_44/ai_58174742/.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Blog #1
Websites Reviewed:
-www.tempecvb.com
-www.charlottesgotalot.com
-www.travelportland.com
-www.visitsanantonio.com
-www.visitgrandrapids.com
-www.washington.org
-www.sixflags.com/magicmountain
-www.visitlasvegas.com
-www.nps.gov/moru
-www.nps.gov/yell
-www.arizonasnowbowl.com
1. Tempe Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.tempecvb.com)
-Strengths
· Moving picture slideshow on homepage is very attractive to visual people.
· Broad subject headings so that you don’t have to look through a long list of categories.
· Each corresponding page has contact information at the top of the page so that you can get more information from the CVB.
· Caters to individuals with disabilities and LGBT travelers.
· You are able to contact them through various social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
· There is an events calendar and search bar, with popular Tempe searches, on every page
· When you go into one of the subheadings, not only do they list various activities that you can do, but also provide the link to the activity/attraction website.
-Weaknesses
· Every page has the exact same color scheme and layout.
· Not very much in-depth information about activities/attractions.
· Difficult to stay intrigued and engaged in the website, unless you know already what you are looking for.
· Very large emphasis on what the college is doing and not the other activities outside of the college.
-Opportunities
· Change the website layout to make the subheading sections more unique and eye-catching to the specific target market.
· Add more information so that potential visitors can learn about the activity/attraction from your website rather than going to another one.
· Attract more students from the university to other events and activities outside of the university so that they can stay close to campus yet still feel like they are getting away.
· Use of the light rail can bring people from neighboring cities down to Tempe.
-Threats
· The economic state has made it very difficult for people out of state to travel to Tempe.
· It is the school year so many people try to avoid college towns outside of game day.
· Construction of the light rail has removed various businesses away from Tempe.
2. Charlotte Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.charlottesgotalot.com)
-Strengths
· Very creative marketing scheme with saying that “Charlotte’s Got A Lot.”
· Interactive videos make it seem like you are actually there.
· Ability to make reservations on their website for air/hotel/car.
· Broad categories to look up attractions/activities/amenities.
· Rankings of various accommodations, restaurants, etc.
· Clever sayings for what the visitor will be doing when for example they go experience sports and recreation they will be experiencing “Thrill A Lot.”
· Links to other attraction/accommodations websites.
-Weaknesses
· Too many links to other sources and ads on the side of the various pages.
· Small print for the information is not very useful for various users.
· Too many subheadings under the broad sections on the homepage can make users get lost in the website.
· Links to various articles which might not make the destination attractive to the visitor anymore.
-Opportunities
· Target local people to visit various destinations around the town or events for a “staycation.”
· Focus on culture and art attractions in the area along with the various accommodations and activities that are already advertised.
· Update information and offer discounts on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
· Print on the pages needs to be larger so that users can read the information.
-Threats
· Visitors to the site will get distracted by the various ads and they will not spend much time on the website.
· The economic state will make travelers in the area travel to other east coast destinations that have more to offer than Charlotte.
· During summer hurricane season, people will not want to travel to destinations that may be prone to natural disasters.
3. Portland Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.travelportland.com)
-Strengths
· Special offers are made to visitors as soon as they enter the website.
· An E-Newsletter is available to interested visitors to tell them more about Portland.
· Hotel packages are offered along with information about various hotels and car rental companies.
· Emphasized the multicultural, eco-friendly, and diverse society that is present in Portland.
· Blog links about various activities that go on in the city.
-Weaknesses
· Very out of date website.
· Plain, boring, and unexciting webpage.
· Very limited information about the area.
· Limited visual attractiveness in showing people participating in activities or pictures in general.
-Opportunities
· Update the website and make it more intriguing so that Google will value your CVB.
· Offer incentives and discounts to people that are outside of the LGBT community.
· Emphasize natural beauty of the area alongside the eco-friendly ideals of the area.
-Threats
· Google emphasized Portland, Maine over Portland, Oregon because of the needed updates of the website.
· Various people that would want to travel to Portland for vacation purposes might not be as accepting of the LGBT lifestyle as Portland and therefore not travel to the destination.
· The economic status of the country makes it very difficult to attract out of state visitors to the area.
4. San Antonio Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.visitsanantonio.com)
-Strengths
· Very engaging and colorful website.
· Emphasizes not only the recreational and tourist activities, but also the cultural events and history of the area.
· Offers a travel guide to potential visitors so that they can thoroughly plan their trip.
· Involved in social networks such as Twitter.
· New intriguing pictures and topics under each subheading.
-Weaknesses
· Pictures do not have people in them to show how visitors would enjoy participating in activities.
· Too much information and text that visitors would have to sift through in order to find something that they liked.
· Very cluttered webpage that makes it difficult to concentrate on the information that you are trying to read.
· Links to various activities and attractions are difficult to access and find.
-Opportunities
· Create more free events that the public can take part in so that visitors with limited disposable income can be excited about your city.
· Focus more on the cultural heritage of the area as it is a huge attraction for visitors.
· Since most of the population in the surrounding area is Hispanic, create a link to another version of the webpage that is in Spanish.
-Threats
· Outbreak of the Swine Flu might make travelers choose other destinations that are further away from the Mexico border.
· Neighboring cities such as Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston have more to offer travelers then the San Antonio area.
· The poor economic state reduces the amount of out-of-state travelers that would travel to see various historical sites such as the Alamo and the various missions in the San Antonio area.
5. Grand Rapids Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.visitgrandrapids.org)
-Strengths
· Colorful website that showcases the colors of the area.
· Interactive picture slideshow emphasizes various contradicting aspects of the area that are appealing to the area.
· Involved in social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr.
· Provides information on all appealing aspects of the area.
· There are pictures of people participating in activities during all seasons.
· There is an event’s calendar full of various cultural, social, and recreational events.
-Weaknesses
· Limited information under each subheading.
· Some pages are almost too colorful.
· Little emphasis on the culture of the area.
-Opportunities
· Market to the young generation of people that live in the area in order to show free, active, outdoor activities that are going on in the area.
· Use the surrounding nature as well as urban setting to compliment various activities that people could take part in.
· Attract more families by advertising family-oriented activities so that local families can participate in various activities.
-Threats
· Having only minor league and college sports teams make it difficult to attract sports enthusiasts.
· The close proximity to surrounding areas such as Chicago makes Grand Rapids less attractive to visitors.
· The high prices in the area make the economic hard times even more difficult for the area.
After reviewing these five various convention and visitors’ bureaus from around the country, the website that has the most potential for increasing tourism spending is for the city of Tempe. The city of Tempe has made strong efforts to keep their website updated and intriguing to the user along with connecting to other potential visitors through social networking. Due to the large surrounding metropolitan area as well as close proximity to one of the nation’s busiest airports, Tempe has the ability to attract various types of visitors including: sports enthusiasts, business travelers, college students and parents, golf players, and people that are interested in the arts and culture. Since Tempe is a “college” town, they are able to provide intriguing and new forms of adventure that people will want to take part in within various fields such as nightlife, entertainment, and recreation. Although the culture of the area is fairly new, the college flavor of the area allows for the area to have an evolving culture to it that is always on the cutting edge. The nightlife and fine dining of the area make Tempe a very unique attraction to out-of-state visitors and locals. One of the many attractions of Tempe is the famous Mill Ave. which has various eateries, bars, and cultural shops that tourists can revel in. Tempe is also home to many breweries like the Four Peaks Brewing Company which distributes, “one of the finest ales available.” Such breweries are able to attract beer drinkers from around the state as well as around the country who want to sample the various unique beers. Overall, Tempe is a very well-rounded, cultured, and exciting destination for visitors to travel to and the friendly welcoming atmosphere of the website allows for Tempe to have the largest economic impact within the tourism market.
Currer, Bob. “Celebrate Beer: Four Peaks Microbrewery.” Glendale Restaurant Examiner. Published
September 5, 2009. Retrieved September 7, 2009 from: http://www.examiner.com/x-17840
Glendale-Restaurant-Examiner~y2009m9d5-Celebrate-Beer-Four-Peaks-Microbrewery.
-www.tempecvb.com
-www.charlottesgotalot.com
-www.travelportland.com
-www.visitsanantonio.com
-www.visitgrandrapids.com
-www.washington.org
-www.sixflags.com/magicmountain
-www.visitlasvegas.com
-www.nps.gov/moru
-www.nps.gov/yell
-www.arizonasnowbowl.com
1. Tempe Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.tempecvb.com)
-Strengths
· Moving picture slideshow on homepage is very attractive to visual people.
· Broad subject headings so that you don’t have to look through a long list of categories.
· Each corresponding page has contact information at the top of the page so that you can get more information from the CVB.
· Caters to individuals with disabilities and LGBT travelers.
· You are able to contact them through various social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
· There is an events calendar and search bar, with popular Tempe searches, on every page
· When you go into one of the subheadings, not only do they list various activities that you can do, but also provide the link to the activity/attraction website.
-Weaknesses
· Every page has the exact same color scheme and layout.
· Not very much in-depth information about activities/attractions.
· Difficult to stay intrigued and engaged in the website, unless you know already what you are looking for.
· Very large emphasis on what the college is doing and not the other activities outside of the college.
-Opportunities
· Change the website layout to make the subheading sections more unique and eye-catching to the specific target market.
· Add more information so that potential visitors can learn about the activity/attraction from your website rather than going to another one.
· Attract more students from the university to other events and activities outside of the university so that they can stay close to campus yet still feel like they are getting away.
· Use of the light rail can bring people from neighboring cities down to Tempe.
-Threats
· The economic state has made it very difficult for people out of state to travel to Tempe.
· It is the school year so many people try to avoid college towns outside of game day.
· Construction of the light rail has removed various businesses away from Tempe.
2. Charlotte Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.charlottesgotalot.com)
-Strengths
· Very creative marketing scheme with saying that “Charlotte’s Got A Lot.”
· Interactive videos make it seem like you are actually there.
· Ability to make reservations on their website for air/hotel/car.
· Broad categories to look up attractions/activities/amenities.
· Rankings of various accommodations, restaurants, etc.
· Clever sayings for what the visitor will be doing when for example they go experience sports and recreation they will be experiencing “Thrill A Lot.”
· Links to other attraction/accommodations websites.
-Weaknesses
· Too many links to other sources and ads on the side of the various pages.
· Small print for the information is not very useful for various users.
· Too many subheadings under the broad sections on the homepage can make users get lost in the website.
· Links to various articles which might not make the destination attractive to the visitor anymore.
-Opportunities
· Target local people to visit various destinations around the town or events for a “staycation.”
· Focus on culture and art attractions in the area along with the various accommodations and activities that are already advertised.
· Update information and offer discounts on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
· Print on the pages needs to be larger so that users can read the information.
-Threats
· Visitors to the site will get distracted by the various ads and they will not spend much time on the website.
· The economic state will make travelers in the area travel to other east coast destinations that have more to offer than Charlotte.
· During summer hurricane season, people will not want to travel to destinations that may be prone to natural disasters.
3. Portland Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.travelportland.com)
-Strengths
· Special offers are made to visitors as soon as they enter the website.
· An E-Newsletter is available to interested visitors to tell them more about Portland.
· Hotel packages are offered along with information about various hotels and car rental companies.
· Emphasized the multicultural, eco-friendly, and diverse society that is present in Portland.
· Blog links about various activities that go on in the city.
-Weaknesses
· Very out of date website.
· Plain, boring, and unexciting webpage.
· Very limited information about the area.
· Limited visual attractiveness in showing people participating in activities or pictures in general.
-Opportunities
· Update the website and make it more intriguing so that Google will value your CVB.
· Offer incentives and discounts to people that are outside of the LGBT community.
· Emphasize natural beauty of the area alongside the eco-friendly ideals of the area.
-Threats
· Google emphasized Portland, Maine over Portland, Oregon because of the needed updates of the website.
· Various people that would want to travel to Portland for vacation purposes might not be as accepting of the LGBT lifestyle as Portland and therefore not travel to the destination.
· The economic status of the country makes it very difficult to attract out of state visitors to the area.
4. San Antonio Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.visitsanantonio.com)
-Strengths
· Very engaging and colorful website.
· Emphasizes not only the recreational and tourist activities, but also the cultural events and history of the area.
· Offers a travel guide to potential visitors so that they can thoroughly plan their trip.
· Involved in social networks such as Twitter.
· New intriguing pictures and topics under each subheading.
-Weaknesses
· Pictures do not have people in them to show how visitors would enjoy participating in activities.
· Too much information and text that visitors would have to sift through in order to find something that they liked.
· Very cluttered webpage that makes it difficult to concentrate on the information that you are trying to read.
· Links to various activities and attractions are difficult to access and find.
-Opportunities
· Create more free events that the public can take part in so that visitors with limited disposable income can be excited about your city.
· Focus more on the cultural heritage of the area as it is a huge attraction for visitors.
· Since most of the population in the surrounding area is Hispanic, create a link to another version of the webpage that is in Spanish.
-Threats
· Outbreak of the Swine Flu might make travelers choose other destinations that are further away from the Mexico border.
· Neighboring cities such as Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston have more to offer travelers then the San Antonio area.
· The poor economic state reduces the amount of out-of-state travelers that would travel to see various historical sites such as the Alamo and the various missions in the San Antonio area.
5. Grand Rapids Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (www.visitgrandrapids.org)
-Strengths
· Colorful website that showcases the colors of the area.
· Interactive picture slideshow emphasizes various contradicting aspects of the area that are appealing to the area.
· Involved in social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr.
· Provides information on all appealing aspects of the area.
· There are pictures of people participating in activities during all seasons.
· There is an event’s calendar full of various cultural, social, and recreational events.
-Weaknesses
· Limited information under each subheading.
· Some pages are almost too colorful.
· Little emphasis on the culture of the area.
-Opportunities
· Market to the young generation of people that live in the area in order to show free, active, outdoor activities that are going on in the area.
· Use the surrounding nature as well as urban setting to compliment various activities that people could take part in.
· Attract more families by advertising family-oriented activities so that local families can participate in various activities.
-Threats
· Having only minor league and college sports teams make it difficult to attract sports enthusiasts.
· The close proximity to surrounding areas such as Chicago makes Grand Rapids less attractive to visitors.
· The high prices in the area make the economic hard times even more difficult for the area.
After reviewing these five various convention and visitors’ bureaus from around the country, the website that has the most potential for increasing tourism spending is for the city of Tempe. The city of Tempe has made strong efforts to keep their website updated and intriguing to the user along with connecting to other potential visitors through social networking. Due to the large surrounding metropolitan area as well as close proximity to one of the nation’s busiest airports, Tempe has the ability to attract various types of visitors including: sports enthusiasts, business travelers, college students and parents, golf players, and people that are interested in the arts and culture. Since Tempe is a “college” town, they are able to provide intriguing and new forms of adventure that people will want to take part in within various fields such as nightlife, entertainment, and recreation. Although the culture of the area is fairly new, the college flavor of the area allows for the area to have an evolving culture to it that is always on the cutting edge. The nightlife and fine dining of the area make Tempe a very unique attraction to out-of-state visitors and locals. One of the many attractions of Tempe is the famous Mill Ave. which has various eateries, bars, and cultural shops that tourists can revel in. Tempe is also home to many breweries like the Four Peaks Brewing Company which distributes, “one of the finest ales available.” Such breweries are able to attract beer drinkers from around the state as well as around the country who want to sample the various unique beers. Overall, Tempe is a very well-rounded, cultured, and exciting destination for visitors to travel to and the friendly welcoming atmosphere of the website allows for Tempe to have the largest economic impact within the tourism market.
Currer, Bob. “Celebrate Beer: Four Peaks Microbrewery.” Glendale Restaurant Examiner. Published
September 5, 2009. Retrieved September 7, 2009 from: http://www.examiner.com/x-17840
Glendale-Restaurant-Examiner~y2009m9d5-Celebrate-Beer-Four-Peaks-Microbrewery.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Welcome
Hey Everyone,
My name is Robert Newton and I am a Recreation and Tourism Management senior. I must say that this is my 3rd blog so if any of you have questions about them because you're new to them feel free to ask and I will help you out if I can (I'm definitely not a seasoned blogger). I'm looking forward to learning various new things this semester in our management class. I can't wait to meet and interact with you all during the semester because I feel that everyone has something valuable to contribute and I'd love to hear what you have to say. See you all in class or write me on here.
My name is Robert Newton and I am a Recreation and Tourism Management senior. I must say that this is my 3rd blog so if any of you have questions about them because you're new to them feel free to ask and I will help you out if I can (I'm definitely not a seasoned blogger). I'm looking forward to learning various new things this semester in our management class. I can't wait to meet and interact with you all during the semester because I feel that everyone has something valuable to contribute and I'd love to hear what you have to say. See you all in class or write me on here.
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