Destination on Pittsburgh - Case Study Example

Destination Case Study on Pittsburgh, PA Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 0 history and relevant background of Pittsburgh, PA 3 2.0Types of tourist and motivation for travel to Pittsburgh, PA 4 3.0Pittsburgh, PA marketing 5 4.0Tourism’s contribution to Pittsburgh, PA’s economy 5 5.0Tourism organizational structure at Pittsburgh, PA 6 6.0Tourism organizations operating at Pittsburgh, PA 7 7.0Tourism policy, planning and sustainable development 7 8.0The operating sectors conducting business at Pittsburgh, PA 8 9.0Attractions and entertainment 8 10.0Business travel 9 11.0Cultural and heritage tourism 9 12.0Ecotourism 9 13.0Distribution organization 10 14.0Lodging and restaurants 10 15.0The likely future for Pittsburgh, PA and the benefits to the community 10 16.0Problem created by customers/tourists 11 17.0Solution to the above problem 11 18.0Summary 12 19.0Conclusions 12 20.0Recommendations 12 References 14 Appendix 16 1.0 Description, history and relevant background of Pittsburgh, PA The City of Pittsburgh, PA was established in 1758 and currently hosts a population of over 369,879 people as per the 2000 census but the whole county has a population of over 1,281,666 people and is located on the South Western side of Pennsylvania. Temperatures at the place in July could go up to a high of 82.5oF and the lowest recorded level is 20.8oF. Pittsburgh, PA boosts of being the largest inland port in the United States, with the capacity to give access to 9000 mile inland waterway system of the USA. It has numerous beautiful bridges totaling up to 720. The newspapers found here are the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune Review, which are the two major. It also has 32 radio stations one can tune into and is covered by 5 major television stations. Being on the south Western side of Pennsylvania, this location has 29 colleges and universities. Sporting events are some of the best and always celebrated in this location and thus this city has four major sports teams, Penguins, Steelers, Riverhounds, and Pirates. The Pittsburgh International Airport is cheered as the top five US airports as ranked by Conde Nast Traveler. On average, over 3.9 million people do visit Pittsburgh annually for both business and leisure. It has also been ranked among the top five most livable cities in the editions of Places Rated Almanac. Records show that modern inhabitants of Pittsburgh, PA were many groups of Iroquois and these were later joined by Britons and French traders. Fur traders came to this place in 1700 and this was followed by the building of a post by French soldiers in 1749 since they wanted to secure a route through the waterway from Canada to New Orleans. At some point, Major George Washington travelled to the city as an emissary to give warning to French people to leave and that the British carry out a construction of a fort at the Forks of Ohio where he declared that the site was strategically situated. The French built Fort Duquesne and the British built Fort Prince George, which were both later destroyed. This was later followed by the resurgence of the Britons who later took control of the land in the year 1758, when the French left their fort after the treaty to do so was signed ending the French and Indian War. A state of the art fort was build, Fort Pitt, which was named after the Secretary of State of England, William Pitt. After these events, a small village of Pittsborough started growing around Fort Pitt in 1861 and this was followed by change of name to Pittsburgh. Riverboat building was the first industry to be set up here and it helped in the western expansion. This city started manufacturing ammunitions for civil war in 1845 following a wild fire that destroyed many structures. It later became an industrial complex. Mining was another economic activity carried here at the time (ByCityLight, 2011; Wurzburger, et al., 2009). 2.0 Types of tourist and motivation for travel to Pittsburgh, PA The types of tourists who come to this place are mainly business people, leisure and tour travellers. The main attractions that motivate tourists to this location are many and include the quality of life that the city presents. No wonder this city rated among the top five most livable cities in the world. It is clean, safe, life is affordable here, and there are many fun-qualities that many visitors together with the residents do appreciate. It is an authentic American city and is said to be free of pretense and is full of everything world-class ranging from Opera and eye-popping Andy Warhol Museum and other small delights from the cozy neighborhoods; it has a rich tradition due to its cosmopolitan nature, having welcomed people from many different ethnic groups. Its music, traditional dances, and memorable dining defines these traditions; fresh ideas of art and contemporary works; old money in form of different beautiful relics are available here; Victorian Treasure which starts with the dreamlike glass of botanical garden house or Phipps conservatory; the fact that it is a river city; the night life where dusk ushers in the be-bop and world-class culture, dancing, live music, and a whole nigh full of fun and entertainment; some spectacular events that are held here leading to parades and fireworks; its rich history such as the battle between the French and the British, which led to the birth a the nation, industrial revolution, and pioneer’s, among others; and finally, the family values where young people form bonds with the city and respect to parents is the culture (Detrick, 1999). For those who go for business, sophisticated conference and meeting hotels are strewn everywhere, with some of the best five-star hotels found here. Trade is also booming and it is a 24 hour economy. 3.0 Pittsburgh, PA marketing Many firms involved in the tours and travel business do advertise this city through their websites and guides and leaflets given to tourists when they arrive. However, the major marketer for this location as a tourist attraction is the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership which has a portal on the city and has comprehensive information about the place more than other marketers. The organization of administration structures of this place and how the city has taken up tourism as a main economic activity makes it easier for even the city to market itself. Various events that are held in Pittsburgh such as sporting and parades help market the city. Besides, various top of class magazines have done a good job by constantly rating this city as being among the top five best cities in the world. 4.0 Tourism’s contribution to Pittsburgh, PA’s economy Having been ranked consistently as being among the most livable cities in the US, the level of tourism in Pittsburgh has been on a continuous growth as it becomes more modern and fully sophisticated (Lubove, 1996). The role of tourism to the economy of Pittsburgh cannot be ignored. When we look at the job market, over 52,000 jobs are held and sustained by tourism. The growth of tourism has brought various revitalization efforts and infrastructural developments, for instance, three new stadiums, many hotels, casinos, and David L. Lawrence Convention Center’s renovations have recently been carried out thanks to tourism boom. Major events have also been hosted due to the unique destination this city offers, for example, the 2005 Bass master Championship, 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Games and the G-20 Summit held in 2009. These events contribute immensely to the economy since people come and spent here earning Pittsburgh foreign exchange and people are able to trade in tourist artifacts (Thyberg & Demand Media, 2011). 5.0 Tourism organizational structure at Pittsburgh, PA Figure 1: Tourism organizational structure at Pittsburgh, PA 6.0 Tourism organizations operating at Pittsburgh, PA There are many organizations dealing with tourism that do operate in Pittsburgh. Some of these include Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, which gives full information to visitors through its portal and is involved in serious marketing strategies for this City as a tourist destination. Other organizations include, but not limited to, Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association; Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce which gives visitor and relocation information; Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau, which provides information on activities for the city, tourism, and local events; South Hills Chamber of Commerce; National Flag Foundation that is a non-profit patriotic educational firm teaching the youth of USA respect and other virtues; National Club Baseball Association, which is a governing body for collegiate club baseball; Pittsburgh Filmmakers, advancing artistic excellence; South Side Pittsburgh; Venture Outdoors, providing information on all recreational facilities and activities; Hotels; and finally many leisure and travels firms around the City (Discover Down Town, 2011). 7.0 Tourism policy, planning and sustainable development A tourism policy framework is in place and has the function of providing guideline to the sector, reduce serious issues that might affect sustainability and exploit available opportunities that help reap more benefits in a continuous manner. It has managed to look into all political processes and establishing both political acceptance and public support of the various programs that are aimed at developing and sustaining tourism at Pittsburgh. Planning has also been done through political processes that have targeted certain decisions for the better future and avoided concentrating on physical preparations that never work in most cases. Sustainable tourism is done through the development that has an objective of balancing the economic and social needs of the industry with practices that are considered as environmental friendly. Pittsburgh has managed to do this through various environmental conservation programs that are aimed at ensuring unlimited growth and development of tourism through no harm to the environment. 8.0 The operating sectors conducting business at Pittsburgh, PA The region has very unique strengths that shape various industries which do business here at Pittsburgh. These have been attributed to the strategic location the city offers to business people, low costs of operating businesses, and a wide access to ample and very skilled workforce. The city has six major business target sectors, which include advanced manufacturing, energy, financial and business services, tourism, information and communications technology, and healthcare and life sciences. There are however other key industries that have contributed to the business sector of this location and these include distribution and logistics, defense and security, health care support, medical services, and robotics (Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, 2010). 9.0 Attractions and entertainment Many tourist attractions are all over Pittsburgh. These include Monongahela Incline or Funicular Railway, which is the most historical continuously operating funicular railway in the whole of USA; Duck boat Tours or Just Ducky Tours; Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium; Gateway Clipper Fleet or Riverboat Cruises; Heinz Field, the magnificent baseball stadium; Mollys Trolleys; National Aviary; Theaters such as Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, Kuntu Repertory Theater, Palace Theater, and Penn Avenue Theater; Sandcastle Waterpark; parades; sporting events; Museums; and other eye-catching attractions. The entertainment found in this city is exceptional. Many night clubs do provide a venue for those who want to dance and listen to good music mixes. The live bands and cultural dances are a common thing in this city. 10.0 Business travel Many business travellers do carry on their activities from this town. There are contractual consultants working in different fields who find it conducive working from here. Most of the hotels such as Wyndham Hotel University Place and others have come up with offices in accommodation rooms where business travellers can continue with their work away from their assigned offices. Conference halls and convention rooms have been well catered for and this has made it attractive for businessmen and expertise to make business travels to Pittsburgh (Ritchie & Goeldner, 1994). 11.0 Cultural and heritage tourism Historically, the city has always opened its doors to visitors across the world. This has made it to have a mix of diverse cultures and heritages that are celebrated in this cosmopolitan city. People therefore; come from all over the world to enjoy the preserved cultures and heritages of the communities living in Pittsburgh. For this reason, cultural and heritage tourism has been on the rise in Pittsburgh, especially for those tourists who think they have had enough experience with sights and other artifacts (National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, 2005). 12.0 Ecotourism Ecotourism practices have been incorporated into various tourism packages that have been developed by various organizations in this city. These still fall under the policy of having a sustainable tourism development for current and future benefits. Many activities aimed at bringing together conservation efforts, local communities, and sustainable travels have been put in place. The main issues addressed are minimization of impact, achieving an environmental and cultural respect and awareness, giving positive experiences for those who host and the visitors, giving the local people financial benefits and empowering them through job creation and participatory actions, and creation of sensitivity to Pittsburgh’s environmental, political, and the social climate. 13.0 Distribution organization Pittsburgh Business Travel Association gives very important forum meant for the distribution and exchange of information, ideas, and education among people who come from different organizations, local community and visitors. 14.0 Lodging and restaurants There are many major and minor lodging and restaurants in Pittsburgh. These range from Five-Star hotels to lower levels all geared towards giving the visitors a wonderful stay and experience at Pittsburgh. These include Hampton Inn & Suites Pittsburgh – Downtown, Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel, and The Mansion at Maple Heights, Residence Inn Pittsburgh North Shore, Fairmont Pittsburgh, and Cambria Suites at Consol Energy Center, The Priory Hotel, Residence Inn Pittsburgh Monroeville/Wilkins Township, Hyatt Place Pittsburgh-North Shore, Omni William Penn Hotel, The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh, and many more. 15.0 The likely future for Pittsburgh, PA and the benefits to the community This city of Pittsburgh has shown continuous progress in terms of growth and development of tourism industry. Given the major efforts being put in place to ensure that the industry is both lucrative and sustainable, there are greater opportunities for the city to fully depend on tourism as its major source of income. The city is also going to experience a surge in numbers of tourist bookings given that major marketing and sales promotions have been strategically carried out through the electronic media and have started to bear fruits looking at the ever increasing number of hotel bookings. New developments are also coming into place to boost the industry. These developments range from infrastructure to social programs, which act as tourist attractions and cater for the needs of the local community. Environmental measures that have been put in place and continue to be emphasized will see the future of tourism in Pittsburgh boom. There is no doubt that indeed the industry is set to grow at a faster rate, especially now that the issue of financial crisis and other threats to the industry have subsided (Smith, 2007). There are immense benefits that the community will derive from these current developments and those to come. One major benefit is job opportunities that are created when the industry booms and players come in large numbers. The other benefit has to do with the economic development of the location which in turn sustains the local community. Intermingling rate with the outside world will be high and this will benefit the community through numerous cultural exchanges. Development of infrastructure is eminent and this will touch on areas such as recreational facilities and other vital structures that would in turn help the community in many ways. 16.0 Problem created by customers/tourists The main problem identified with the coming of many customers or tourists is the idea of congestion on the facilities available given that the population is ever on an increment. This makes it hard for the locals to access the facilities since most of them end up being secluded for visitors, therefore; creating a deficit in recreation facilities. 17.0 Solution to the above problem The main solution that would be effective in addressing this problem is building of more recreational facilities to cater for the growing number of people who are hosted here. This boosting of infrastructure will go a long way in decongesting the available resources. 18.0 Summary Pittsburgh has stood out as a major tourist destination in US and the world. Its diversity, beautiful sights, major attractions, cultures and heritages are some of the many things that pull tourists to this place. There are major developments in place, which continue to make this city a place to reckon when it comes to tourism. The economy of Pittsburgh is almost dependent on tourism. The community has also benefitted immensely from tourism and its sustainability has ensured that the benefits are long term. Few problems do exist, but solutions are already being put on the ground. 19.0 Conclusions Tourism is an industry that can support an economy fully if well handled through sustainable practices. There are major tourist attractions across the globe. However, Pittsburgh still stands out among the most preferred destinations. Good policies when put in place and planning measures taken, the industry could grow even more and help meet the needs of the people and the economy. Indeed, Pittsburgh is a place any person planning to travel for either leisure or tour or business, would want to visit. 20.0 Recommendations The future of beneficial and well developed tourism sector depends on the efforts put towards sustainable growth and development. It is important that such measures be taken seriously to help benefit generations to come. More marketing concepts need to be taken into consideration to ensure that Pittsburgh is well marketed across the world There is need to provide adequate security to people in Pittsburgh in order to avert any form of terrorism activity that might be carried out in Pittsburgh; and finally, There is a need to look at the facilities so that the number of people matches the available space to avoid congestions and straining on resources due to high influx of tourists. References ByCityLight (2011), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: City History, Retrieved on 10th October 2011, from http://www.bycitylight.com/cities/us-pa-pittsburgh-history.php Detrick Sabina (1999), the postindustrial revitalization of Pittsburgh: myths and evidence, Community Development Journal, Oxford University Press Discover Down Town (2011), Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Organizations. Retrieved on 10th October 2011, from http://www.discoverourtown.com/PA/Pittsburgh/Organizations-990.html Lubove Roy (1996) Twentieth-century Pittsburgh: The post-steel era, University of Pittsburgh Pre National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States (2005) Forum journal: the journal of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Trust Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (2010), Target Sectors & Key Industries, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Retrieved on 10th October 2011, from http://www.alleghenyconference.org/PRA/TargetSectors.asp Ritchie Brent J. R., & Goeldner Charles R. (1994), Travel, tourism and hospitality research: a handbook for managers and researchers, Wiley Smith Melanie K. (2007) Tourism, culture and regeneration, CABI Thyberg David, & Demand Media (2011), Tourism in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Travel Tips. Retrieved on 10th October 2011, from http://traveltips.usatoday.com/tourism-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-11922.html Wurzburger Rebecca, Pratt Sabrina, & Alex Pattakos (2009) Creative Tourism, a Global Conversation, Sunstone Press Appendix Figure 2: State Map of Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Figure 3: Pittsburgh, PA: View of Downtown Pittsburgh from Mt. Washington Figure 4: The Point Pittsburgh CVB Figure 5: Conference Hall at one of the hotels in Pittsburgh Read More