Plan for Stimulating the Growth of Tourism in West Lafayette Indiana - Essay Example

 Plan for Stimulating the Growth of Tourism in West Lafayette Indiana Table of Contents The Purpose of this Plan 2 Value to the Community 3 Potential Market Analysis 7 Visitors and Economic Profiles 7 Visitors Revenue Expenditure 8 Marketing Analysis Conclusion and Recommendations 9 Marketing Goals 10 Strategies for Tackling the Threat that Terrorism has had on the Tourism Industry in West Lafayette 11 Strategies for Managing the Impact of Terrorism 11 Team Formation: Creation of a Terrorism Crisis Management Taskforce 12 Preparation for Terrorism Crisis Management: 12 Creation of a Terrorism Crisis Management Guidebook: 13 Creating a Partnership with Law Enforcement Officials: 13 Action Plan 14 Evaluation and Monitoring: 14 References 16 Plan for Stimulating the Growth of Tourism in West Lafayette Indiana in Light of the Negative Impact that Terrorism has had on the Industry The Purpose of this Plan         It is important that the tourism industry in West Lafayette be stimulated so as to help it obtain a significant share of the estimated $7.6 billion that visitors to the State of Indiana help to contribute towards the state’s gross domestic product (GDP). If well harnessed, Lafayette’s tourist attractions and hotels can be positioned in such a manner that they will be able to help in driving the city’s tourism industry and cause it to become a leading tourist destination in Indiana.         West Lafayette is uniquely positioned to offer visitors to the State of Indiana a number of attractions such as a visit to the Tippecanoe Battlefield and Museum, wildlife and outdoor attractions in the form of the Prophetstown State park as well as a sophisticated art scene that includes tasteful galleries and outdoor art. West Lafayette is also able to offer visitors a choice of eight courses some of which have been designed by the famous golf course designers Hale Irwin and Pete Dye (homeofpurdue 2014). This plan is based on the fact that although West Lafayette has fortunately not had to face any serious terrorism threat in recent years, the growing threat of terrorism should not be underestimated and it is important that the matter be taken seriously to avoid any major issues with the threat in future. This fact was greatly emphasized in the remarks made by President Obama when he made a tour of West Lafayette, Indiana on July 16, 2008. President Obama stressed on the fact that it was important that Americans including those living in West Lafayette should never let their guard down or happen to suffer another failure of imagination. The growing need for the tourism industry in West Lafayette to have an effective plan designed to try and mitigate the threat of terrorism first came to afore on August 2, 1998 when a stolen pick-up track containing both improvised and incendiary explosive devices was driven into the TippeCanoe County Courthouse. Luckily, the explosives failed to go off and West Lafayette’s tourism industry remained intact. However, the events of 9/11 have heightened the dangers posed by terrorism and the recent shooting and fatal shooting and stabbing of a student at Purdue University is of great concern and it points to the fact that West Lafayette is not immune to incidences of violence and terrorism. This plan aims to demonstrate just how the threat of terrorism can greatly affect West Lafayette’s tourism industry as well as outline how this threat can be mitigated or avoided. Value to the Community         The value of this plan to the West Lafayette community is that it outlines measures which can be undertaken to help in safeguarding the tourism industry in West Lafayette from the threat posed by terrorism. If well harnessed, tourism can have a myriad of positive benefits for West Lafayette, however extreme care should be taken to ensure that the negative impact that terrorism has had on the industry is well. While tourists have a right to avoid travel destinations which they view as being highly associated with risk, the consequences of terrorism on tourist destinations such as West Lafayette can be profound and inescapable. According to Sönmez, Apostolopoulos & Tarlow (1999) The tourism industry around the world has managed to become the world’s preeminent industry despite having experienced setbacks such as the civil war in former Yugoslavia, the collapse and subsequent instability of Eastern Europe, the sociopolitical turmoil that occurred in South East Asia, Japan, Latin America and Russia, the global economic crisis, and the increasing threat of terrorism. Despite these challenges, the tourism industry continues to flourish and contributes an estimated $3.6 trillion to the global gross domestic product (GDP) in addition to employing over 255 million people around the world. According to data released by the World Travel and Tourism council, travel and tourism generated $ US 1.4 trillion to the total GDP of the United States in 2013 as is indicated in the graph below. (World Travel and Tourism Council 2014) Despite all these associated benefits of tourism, If not well managed, the dangers and fears that are posed by terrorism might lead to unemployment, homelessness and the deflation of the local West Lafayette economy. The significant contribution that is made by tourism towards West Lafayette’s economy is so great that any threat to its downturn should be perceived as being a major concerns for all the key stakeholders within the state. If tourism in West Lafayette decreases, this might potentially negatively impact other related industries such as hotels, restaurants, taxi companies and shops that are designed to help in catering to tourists. The impact of terrorism on these industries will largely depend on the their dependency on the tourism industry. The crime-rate in West Lafayette is generally lower than the national average as indicated in the graph below. However, it is still important to ensure that that the threat posed by terrorism is well managed as this can completely negate the positive effect that the low crime rate in West Lafayette has on the tourism industry. (city-data 2014) Random acts of terrorism can eventually curtail travel activity within a city like West Lafayette until such a time as when the public’s memories of the publicized incidents fades. Persistent terrorism on the other hand can however, completely tarnish a destination’s image of both safety and attractiveness and completely jeopardizing the safety of a destination’s tourism industry. This is seen to have been the case in tourism destinations such as Northern Ireland, Egypt, Peru and Israel where political violence and terrorism are noted to have adversely affected the perception of tourists.         Although the economy of West Lafayette is mostly driven by the presence of the Purdue University which employs an estimated over 12,000 workers living in either West Lafayette or in Lafayette and whose student population is estimated to be at about 40,000 more than the total population of the residents of West Lafayette, the population of individuals employed in tourism related industries is still relatively large as is indicated in the chart below that indicates that 12% of males in the town of Lafayette are employed in the accommodation and food services industry, 7% in the retail trade, 4% in the healthcare and social assistance industry and 3% in the arts, entertainment and recreation industry. As such, it is still critically important that this fragile industry be natured and adequately protected from the adverse effects that domestic and international terrorism might have on it. In addition to its other benefits, this plan is valuable to the community in West Lafayette as it aims to suggest various measures that can be undertaken so as to stimulate the growth of tourism in West Lafayette Indiana while limiting the negative the threats posed on the industry as a result of terrorism. (Citydata 2014) Potential Market Analysis Visitors and Economic Profiles There are a number of recent tourism trends that can be perceived to potentially have an impact on tourism in West Lafayette despite the growing international concerns over the threat of terrorism, these include: Tourists are opting to tour local destinations: With the continued fears pertaining to domestic and international terrorism, most tourists are now opting to visit travel destinations that are closer to home. Since September 11, there has been a marked increase in the number of tourists opting for drive to travel, on the other hand fly to travel has been on the decrease. Weekend travel is very popular in the country and research suggests that nearly half of all the adults in the United States take at least one weekend trip each year. West Lafayette should consider marketing itself as a possible weekend travel destination so as to effectively tap into this lucrative market. Rise in Cultural/Historical Tourism: The meteoric rise of cultural and heritage tourism has been termed by the World Tourism Organization as a global phenomenon and it is considered to be one of the most lucrative and fastest growing tourism segments internationally. One in five of all domestic household trips within the United States tends to include a historic/cultural activity. West Lafayette’s Tippecanoe Battlefield and Museum can be well utilizes to market West Lafayette and enable it to easily tap into this fast growing tourism market segment. Growth of Offseason Tourism: One of the most interesting aspects of historical, cultural and heritage tourism is its ability to potentially generate travel not only during the peak vacation periods, but also during the offseason. If well marketed tourism in West Lafayette can be able to benefit from having a steady stream of visitors both during and after the offseason. Visitors Revenue Expenditure According to the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, travel, tourism and hospitality is considered to be Indiana’s sixth-largest overall industry, excluding government. The revenue that Indiana earns from tourism aids the state in creating more jobs, improving the quality of life for the residents as well as in enhancing the local economies in the different cities including West Lafayette. It is estimated that visitors touring Indiana spend an average of $142 locally on hotel, transportation, beverage, shopping, food and entertainment. The revenue supplemented by tourism is of great importance to Indiana as each visitor to the State is estimated to help in generating about $30 in tax receipts of which about $16 goes directly towards funding the state and local authorities. If Indiana tourism industry were to collapse, each of the state’s 2,481,000 households would be forced to pay an additional amount of $472 in local and state taxes so as current levels of tax receipts to be maintained (visitindianatourism 2014). Marketing Analysis Conclusion and Recommendations Improving the tourism industry in West Lafayette will require the use of a well planned publicity effort as well as concentrated and focused advertising. This advertising should be biased towards attracting local American tourists as opposed to international tourists. This will allow West Lafayette to tap into the large local tourism market that has been continuously experiencing and increase despite the negative impact that terrorism has had on the industry in recent years. Some of the other strategies that should be adopted and implemented by the city to achieve this objective include: To help in improving the tourism in the town, West Lafayette should position its historical attractions such as Tippecanoe Battlefield and Museum in a manner that they will attract history buffs and adventurers. If mismanaged, West Lafayette’s tourism industry will be left vulnerable and although it is yet to be directly affected by terrorism, any lax in security measures might wrongly be misconstrued by tourists as being unsafe. This can trigger a domino effect whereby a tarnished image can threaten the stability of tourism, a factor which can then greatly jeopardize West Lafayette’s long-term economic viability. In this regard, the city of West Lafayette should formulate policies and implement measures that will help in ensuring that the threat of terrorism to the city is effectively neutralized. Industries such as auto clubs, hotels, TV stations, car rental agencies and newspapers that are affected or rely on tourism can form partnerships that will enable them to offer tourists to West Lafayette more attractive and cheaper packages. A large percentage of West Lafayette’s residents have vested interests in the successful growth of the tourism industry. The marketing to be used in boosting the tourism in West Lafayette should be designed to target a range of specific target groups. Considerations to be put in place include the fact that while the younger and middle aged travelers often prefer the use of the internet to shop for possible travel destinations, the older clientele prefers to source for information on possible travel destinations from brochures and television advertisements. When attempting to attract the younger travelers, West Lafayette should put into consideration that younger travelers are often more interested in attractions that tend to involve outdoor activities that are flexible enough to include children. Older tourists on the other hand are more likely to desire driving tours that are complimented with interpretive materials or tour groups. The literature that West Lafayette displays on the internet and distributes to travel agents should feature all these activities. West Lafayette’s tourism marketing campaign should be developed in such a manner that its public relations and advertising are timed to appeal to last-minute travel planners. Marketing Goals Promoting West Lafayette as an attractive tourism destination within Indiana should be structured in a manner that it will be a pivotal role in the state’s tourism marketing efforts. By developing a plan that focuses on target markets, West Lafayette will hope to achieve the following: Focus the advertising and marketing efforts in all these markets on adventurers and history buffs who will be more likely to venture into adding a visit to West Lafayette to their itineraries. Promote West Lafayette as a safe tourist destination due to enhanced security measures designed to detect and thwart any terrorism activities within the city. Increase the awareness of tourist destinations within West Lafayette and the attractive all inclusive packages that are on offer. Create an image of West Lafayette as an intriguing place full of cultural richness and a place of exploration. Strategies for Tackling the Threat that Terrorism has had on the Tourism Industry in West Lafayette Strategies for Managing the Impact of Terrorism In order to successfully poise itself as a major and attractive tourism destination, the city of West Lafayette should develop and implement a raft of crisis management strategies to help it in effectively dealing with the threat of terrorism. Unless the threat of terrorism is viewed as being a crisis by the tourism industry in West Lafayette, it will not be possible for resources and energy to be effectively channeled into its management. Once the threat of terrorism on the tourism industry is identified as being a crisis and a crisis handling mind-set is in place, the gravity of the threat that is posed by terrorism is quite likely to assure dedication and discipline from the initiation of crisis management activities until the full recovery of the industry is eventually achieved. The following strategies are intended to aid the city of West Lafayette in the initial stages of crisis management. Team Formation: Creation of a Terrorism Crisis Management Taskforce Part of being prepared for terrorism crisis management must include a pre-crisis and timely creation of a task force. In West Lafayette, this group should essentially be composed of local government officials, community leaders, as well as travel and tourism industry professionals. To ensure its is efficient and effective, the different responsibilities of heading the team should be delegated to a number of individuals based on their specific areas of expertise. The entire taskforce should then be headed by a director who will be responsible for orchestrating all the activities undertaken by the taskforce. The members of this taskforce will be paid a sitting allowance that will be debated on and agreed by all the key tourism industry stakeholders within West Lafayette. They will also hold their positions for time periods not exceeding 5 years. This will allow them sufficient time within which to formulate and implement policies and plans that will help in ensuring that the interests of the tourism industry within the city of West Lafayette are well looked after. Preparation for Terrorism Crisis Management: The city of West Lafayette should ensure that it incorporates crisis management planning into its overall tourist planning, management and marketing strategies. The purpose of this guideline will be to facilitate the recovery of the industry in the event that it should ever be impacted or affected by terrorism. Having an effective plan in place can greatly help in saving valuable time as it will serve to provide the community with a road map that will facilitate a smooth and speedy recovery (Sönmez, Apostolopoulos & Tarlow 1999). Creation of a Terrorism Crisis Management Guidebook: The city of West Lafayette should develop a terrorism crisis management guidebook that details the measures that will be undertaken in the event a terrorist attack targeting its tourism industry should occur. The document will explain how to the taskforce activities should be initiated, outline the individual responsibilities of the taskforce team members and the team coordinators, suggest a number of pre-disaster and post-disaster measures in the form of a checklist. Of crucial importance is that the management guidebook should detail a list of by-laws that will help in guiding the actions of the task force. This will help the taskforce members to avoid disagreements and confusion between members. The guidebook will also suggest what should be done or avoided during a press conference in addition to suggesting possible measures that can be undertaken to develop and maintain positive relationships with the media during periods of non-crisis so as to ensure that there is accuracy and balance of coverage during the crisis (Sönmez, Apostolopoulos & Tarlow 1999). Creating a Partnership with Law Enforcement Officials: Adequate cooperation between law enforcement and the tourism industry is of critical importance. Several cities in the United States have started to create specific tourism policing divisions and West Lafayette could look into emulating this example. Police officers assigned to this department can receive training on how to best interact with the tourism industry, the importance of their aiding the industry as well as the importance of tourism to the local economy. To further boost the efforts of the tourism policing department, the city of West Lafayette can also create a community policing project whereby local residents can be able to report and suspicious activities that they might come across (Sönmez, Apostolopoulos & Tarlow 1999). Action Plan To achieve its objective of stimulating the growth of tourism in West Lafayette Indiana in light of the negative impact that terrorism has had on the industry, the city of West Lafayette should implement a multi-point action plan to help in ensuring that the objectives of this plan are met. Creation of a Crisis Management Team Initiate a targeted marketing and advertising campaign that will focus on attracting visitors that fit in the profile shown in the potential market analysis. Create a relationship with various media outlets prior to the occurrence of any terrorism related crisis. This will serve to ensure that in the event of a crisis, the coverage will be balanced and accurate. Development of a terrorism management guidebook Creation of a good relationship with the law enforcement officers. Evaluation and Monitoring: If the proposed course of action outlined in this plan is well implemented and followed, the city of West Lafayette will be able to greatly stimulate the growth of the tourism industry. However, proper evaluation and monitoring is required as tourism planning is essentially a continual process that constantly needs to adapt to changes. This will result in increased revenue earnings for the residents of this town as well, as the enhancement of the proper security measures to help in countering the threat of tourism. References city-data. (2014). West Lafayette, Indiana. Retreived on Aug 6, 2014 from http://www.city -data.com/city/West-Lafayette-Indiana.html homeofpurdue. (2014). Make Lafayette - West Lafayette, Indiana your Next Travel Destination. Retrieved on Aug 5, 2014 from http://www.homeofpurdue.com Sönmez, S., Apostolopoulos, Y., and P. Tarlow (1999). Tourism in Crisis: Managing the Effects of Terrorism. Journal of Travel Research, 38(1):13-18. visitindianatourism. (2014). Honest-to-Goodness Economic Benefit. Retreived on Aug 5, 2014 from http://www.visitindianatourism.com/node/25/ World Travel and Tourism council. (2014). Benchmarking Travel & Tourism in USA. Retrieved on Aug 6, 2014 from http://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/USA_benchmarking_2013.pdf Read More