The Town and Tourism – Question from before and for after COVID-19

In the Town Council session, April 20, 2020, the Interim Town Manager described options to aid business recovery. The money, $1.5 million, is not likely enough help for the large number of town businesses. Federal options and local banks may work better and our merchants seem educated on those options. The Interim’s ‘plan’ raises questions, and missed the most important ‘ingredient’ for economic recovery: marketing the town to gain customers.

Since the Tourism and Community Development Director and Director of Planning were fired, no plan has emerged. The departments were also jammed together – indicating a failure to understand the nature of each job and how busy each staffer was.

Granted we all are delayed in having businesses open, the fact of tourism season held no urgency to the powers that be even before COVID-19. Instead the notion advanced was that money was saved, while the immediate loss of functionality in the two departments means losing money from tourism. The public has not said much to Town Council, which should be in control of how funds are spent. However, it often seems the interim manager “tail” is wagging the council “dog” – though that dog appears very content with that status quo.

In fairness to individuals on Council, Mrs. Thompson did mention tourism and Mr. Meza felt there was an impetus toward success on East Main Street he had not wanted lost and did not want to see tax increases to cover lost revenue.

Yet when Council, Town Manager, and Mayor do not know the right questions to ask, or understand that customers are the focus, we need better informed members of the public to speak up. Talent abounds here; and it is my hope that talent will offer suggestions to Council that will be heard and as appropriate, acted upon.

In the meantime, my questions are:

1. Could staff or Joint Tourism Board advertise for a marketing specialist?
2. Use “the ladies” of the Visitor Center as staff?
3. Open the Center when deemed safe?
4. Put the two planned marketing blitzes out to D. C. and Pennsylvania?
5. Create advertising in stages of its re-opening, i.e., if the outdoor activities are the first open, that is the focus of the advertising?
6. Plan a series of itineraries?
7. Can the town be the fiscal agent and the Small Business Development Center at LFCC consulted for a Business Plan for tourism destination marketing?

Linda Allen
Front Royal, Virginia