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Chisago Lakes Area Tourism Assessment Program Case Study 2008-2011

Chisago Lakes Area Tourism Assessment Program Case Study 2008-2011. Liz Templin Extension Professor University of Minnesota Extension. Lindstrom. Settled in 1853 Similar to Sweden Population 4,442 Minneapolis: 35 mi .

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Chisago Lakes Area Tourism Assessment Program Case Study 2008-2011

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  1. Chisago Lakes AreaTourism Assessment ProgramCase Study 2008-2011 Liz Templin Extension Professor University of Minnesota Extension

  2. Lindstrom Settled in 1853 Similar to Sweden Population 4,442 Minneapolis: 35 mi

  3. VilmelmMobergLindstromCollected storiesRequired reading for all children in Sweden

  4. Lindstrom Tourism Swedish Tour Buses Hazelden families

  5. Welcome to your source for Minnesota tourism education and research!

  6. University of Minnesota Extension • Founded as “Agricultural Extension Service” • “Extend U research” • Community Economics: • Retail Analysis and Development • Business Retention and Expansion • Public Finance • E-Commerce • Tourism (tourism.umn.edu) • Festival and Event Management • Customer Service • Tourism Assessment Program

  7. Toolkit for communities Available on Amazon.com

  8. Tourism Assessment ProgramBenefits • Is tourism right for us? • What tourism trends are impacting us? • What are our tourism strengths and weaknesses? • What are our tourism markets? • What are our tourism business opportunities?

  9. Research Steps • Review existing data on the community • Community Visit • Community compiles list of attractions • A tour of the city and area • Visits to sites and attractions • Casual conversations • A community forum: values, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats • Report with Recommendations

  10. Lindstrom Findings • Strengths: • Water/lakes • Swedish heritage • Weaknesses: • Lack of hospitality facilities (lodging) • Lack of community cohesiveness • Opportunities • Being a Swedish tour destination • Day trips from Minneapolis – St Paul • Threats • Lack of community cooperation • Traffic congestion

  11. Tourism Reality • Reality: Lindstrom currently hosts tourists • friends and family of residents • Swedish visitors wanting to see Moberg sites • Hazelden • to people passing on their way to other locations. • Challenge: How to manage the visitor experience to the benefit of residents and business owners. • Results!

  12. Key Actions & Success Since 2008 • Increased Community Cooperation • Enhanced Marketing • Expanded Attractions • Preserving Lake Quality • Expanding Lodging

  13. 1. Increased Community Cooperation • Tourism committee: • Business leaders • City staff • Chamber of Commerce: • Weekly email on upcoming group tours • Businesses obtained email addresses

  14. City Efforts to Work with Businesses Weekly email updates Business Breakfast Market during road construction

  15. 2012 Road Construction:Saw financial impact of tourism!

  16. New marketing realities Many businesses believed a telephone was all they needed Learning: If you’re not on the internet, customers can’t find you

  17. Lindstrom On-Line Presence No Website: 13% Incorrect Google Places: 11%

  18. Missing Social Media 94% Not on Yelp (iPhone search) 96% not on Facebook

  19. Multi-Community Cooperation

  20. 2. Enhanced Marketing

  21. 3. Expand Attractions

  22. 4. Preserving the lake’s water quality • Failing septic systems resulted in annexation to city • Added rain garden

  23. 5. Expand Lodging Options

  24. Challenges • Funding for staff to do tourism marketing • Business use of the internet

  25. Thank you Liz Templin templin@umn.edu

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