The Tourism Infrastructure: An Attractive/Appealing Community, continued

The thing that really makes a community appealing is a strong “sense of place”. Communities express the choices made by their citizens. Types of housing, transportation, industry and shopping options as well as how to fit in with the natural environment all make up the “personality of the community”. It all reflects the collective values of the city’s residents. Cultural geographers, anthropologists, sociologists and urban planners study why certain places hold special meaning to particular people or peoples. Places said to have a strong "sense of place" have a strong identity and character that is deeply felt by local inhabitants and by visitors.

Seriously?

I just copied that last paragraph from Wikipedia. Why make it so difficult?

Think of how you feel when you are in Las Vegas. Most people get a rush. It’s exciting. There are lights and sounds and people and crazy hotels. It makes you feel a certain way.

Think of how you feel when you are in Carmel, CA. It’s a quaint coastal town with beautiful archetechture and cool little shops and cool restaurants. The Pacific Ocean is right there, so you get to enjoy a great cool sea breeze with that cool salty sea smell. There’s the world-famous golf courses and a ton of very rich people. It makes you feel a certain way when you’re there too. (When my wife and I visit Carmel, we drive around and look for “Open House” signs. We love to go in and check out the homes. I highly recommend this.)

How about Disneyland? Chances are, you get a giddy feeling the minute you walk through the main gates. Doesn’t matter how old you are. You always get this feeling.

These places all make you feel a certain way. It’s the strong sense of place.

Of course, there are places that aren’t so good feeling too. I’ve visited a lot of places where I didn’t feel safe. There have been a few places where I flat out did not want to leave my hotel room. Bad sense of place.

So, for a community to build a successful tourism program, it needs to be attractive and appealing. This can be subjective but there needs to be a strong sence of place that will make people feel something when they visit. Make sure it’s a good feeling.

(Next: Friendly and Inviting Community)