Walton Road Scenic Byway

Transcription

1 12:00-1:00 Promoting the Walton Road for heritage tourism 1:00-1:30 Confirmation of projects and programs to be included in the plan 1:30-2:00 Implementing byway programs and projects Walton Road Scenic Byway

2 What are the steps involved in crea6ng a CMP 1. Vision, Goals and Theme Development Public Workshop - Are we headed in the right direction? 2. Intrinsic Qualities - assets and attractions 3. Visitor Experience 4. Heritage Tourism and Economic Development 5. Draft Plan Review and Implementation Public Workshop - Did we get it right? Walton Road Scenic Byway

3 WALTON ROAD SCENIC BYWAY November 14, 2012

4 Strengths of the Byway The Story Pioneers westward movement Clashes with Cherokees Building the road Growth of communities Government 19 th and 20 th century development

5 Strengths of the Byway Appeal to niche interests Historic sites Parks Small towns Cemeteries Rivers and lakes

6 Strengths of the Byway Location Central to Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville

7 Strengths of the Byway Scenery Mountains Agricultural fields Rivers and lakes Original road

8 Strengths of the Byway Visitor Services Lodging Dining Shopping Visitor information

9 Opportunities for the Byway Connect themes along the route Frontier Routes and Pioneer Pathways Pioneer Culture People and Places

10 Opportunities for the Byway Create a presence that is unique from other trails Promised Land Ring of Fire Top Secret Upper Cumberland Quilt Trail Edgetrekker Northern Cumberland Scenic Byway Sequatchie Valley Scenic Byway

11 National Cultural Heritage Travel Trends Cultural heritage travelers want: Experiences where the destination, its buildings and surroundings have retained their character Educational travel arts, culture, environment and history

12 National Travel Trends - Staycations the vacationer stays at home or near home while creating the environment of a traditional vacation.

13 Travel in Tennessee 22% Visit friends/relatives 17% Get-away weekend 14% Vacation 11% Special event Average age 45 38% - one adult 26% - couple 20% - with children Top States of Origin: 38% Tennessee 8% Georgia 6.4% Alabama 4.9% Kentucky 54% travel 200 miles or less

14 Who is the Walton Road Scenic Byway Traveler? Regional Weekend Visiting friends and relatives Cultural heritage Eco-tourists

15 Marketing the Upper Cumberland Region

16 Positioning the Byway for Tourism The Changing World of Tourism Marketing Traditional Tourism Promotion Show Tell Persuade New Tourism Promotion Facilitate Orchestrate Enable

17 Positioning the Byway for Tourism Before the Trip Reach potential tourists and entice them to come for a visit. During the trip Encourage exploration once a visitor arrives.

18 Maximize the Byway Message Design marketing to reflect the historical story Promote stories of people and places

19 Use a Variety of Marketing Tools Website and Rack Card Create a graphic look for the byway Coordinate with Northern Cumberland Scenic Byway

20 Use a Variety of Marketing Tools Facebook Promote from existing tourism pages QR Codes Provide more information

21 Use a Variety of Marketing Tools Press Releases Basic information about the byway to spark interest Regular updates signage, attractions, itineraries, etc.

22 Use a Variety of Marketing Tools Tear off maps Inexpensive way to distribute information throughout the region Vacation Guides and Brochures Add byway information to all area collateral materials

23 Use a Variety of Marketing Tools Visitor Centers and Information Kiosks Place information in all visitor centers Consider developing self-contained kiosks

24 Target Niche Interest Groups

25 Families traveling with children Create a treasure hunt along the byway Offer a Walton Road Byway Trailblazer patch or certificate Invite kids to post pictures on Flickr

26 Photography Clubs Camera Club Council of Tennessee Set up a Flickr site Create a photographer s guide

27 Hiking Clubs Tennessee Trails Association Blogs Trail maintenance

28 Geocachers Since 2000, 1.4 million caches have been hidden and found by more than 4 million people. Contact Middle Tennessee Geocaching Club for advice.

29 Birdwatchers 81 million birdwatchers in 2008 Contact Tennessee Ornithological Society start a regional chapter - create a checklist - include on maps

30 Motorcyclists 6.6 million cyclists More women and Baby Boomers Promote through websites like motorcycleroads.us

31 Bicyclists 43 million bicyclists Create new bike routes along the byway or nearby

32 Hospitality Training and Community Outreach Elected officials and government policymakers Local media Travel industry leaders and employees Business and community leaders Educators and students General public

33 What do people need to know? Tourism Statistics Your Role in Tourism New Trails and Routes How to Welcome and Host Visitors

34 How can these audiences be reached? Information notebooks Byway tours database Local media Fact sheets School/home school tours

35 Questions?