Assessment

The first step in this project, and the foundation of tourism planning, is to conduct an assessment of Essex County’s tourism and specifically of each of the targeted destinations within Essex County.  This may seem redundant if one assumes that those involved in tourism already have a good grasp of the tourism situation.  First, it is important to view those products through an “outside eye”, from the vantage point of someone who understands tourism but is not caught up in the Essex County tourism scene.  With the variety of communities targeted, there is no sweeping generalization that covers target markets, state of tourism infrastructure, nature of tourism experiences, or priority issues which must be addressed.  Most importantly the assessment will provide a common understanding from which to engage in the serious collaborative discussions about each Essex County target destination’s tourism future.

For each of the five targeted communities, we will create a snapshot of current tourism, focusing on

1. infrastructure
2. experiences
3. products
4. gaps (missing products or infrastructure that are barriers to success)
5. seasons
6. quality
7. rates
8. competitiveness
9. positive and negative impacts
10. benefits
11. visitors (demographics)
12. visitor satisfaction

We’ll also look at the potential each community has for tourism products and experiences, both developed and undeveloped.  During this process we’ll pay special attention to products and services that “match” the complexion of the local destination and strengthen the overall “draw” for the region.  We’ll be setting the stage for a later focus on “iconic” tourism experiences for each of the five target communities.

The focus will also look toward community needs, wants, and concerns that intersect the benefits and negative impacts that tourism can potentially bring to each of the five communities.  That process will look at both present and potential issues and opportunities such as:

1. creation of jobs and business opportunities
2. careers for young people growing up in the communities
3. exposure to outside ideas
4. infusion of outside investment
5. new people moving to town
6. tourism supporting services a town can’t support on its own
7. increasing real estate values
8. opportunities for aligned non-tourism businesses
9. changes to local quality of life (both good and bad)

The project will also look at Essex County from the visitors’ view:

1. It will look at the products and experiences that Essex County’s visitors associate with Essex County – with a particular focus on those that influence travel to the destination.
   1. It will examine the same issue for each of the target communities
   2. It will look at how each community fits into the broader Essex County picture
2. The project will also look closely at what defines Essex County as a destination.  What products, facilities, experiences are crucial to
   1. having patrons make the choice to come to Essex County,
   2. supporting a destination experience in Essex County, and
   3. sending patrons home with a sense of having had a destination experience.
3. The destination definition will reflect a combination of the local geographic and political boundaries and the visitors’ views of Essex County. 
4. Similarly, the project will seek to establish tourism interests among both the private sector and public sector, with an eye toward pulling all interests into a partnership that will strengthen each community’s tourism products, experiences, and ability to function as a cohesive destination.

The project will look at the demographics of Essex County tourism.  It’s important in planning to understand who is patronizing each kind of tourism products and experiences.  The project will look at key visitor groups to understand

• What draws each
• When each comes
• What each does while in the region
• How satisfied each is by their experience in Essex County, with a particular focus on
  • Do they come back
  • Do they refer
• How each group spends

Next, the assessment will look at Essex County’s tourism marketing.  The project will look at how the overall destination is branded and how that brand plays in various target markets.  It will look at what markets are being actively targeted.  The project will explore what channels are being employed to reach those target markets and what messages are being sent through those channels to the targets.  The team will look at how the destination converts interest into patronage.  And close attention will be given to how Essex County’s tourism marketing is evaluated – and how success is measured.

There will also be a careful look at the marketing of each of the five target community destinations within Essex.  Or, to say it differently, the project will examine how the marketing of Essex County drives patronage for each of the five target communities.  And, how each of the target communities contributes “iconic” material that contributes to the marketing image for the county.

The assessment phase will take a good hard look at how Essex County (and each target community) is organized as a destination. 

1. It will be important to understand the relationships among the various players in Essex County’s tourism picture. 
2. The team will explore the county and each target community’s tourism community and look closely at the roles played by each organization, agency, government, and significant private party.
3. The project will outline leadership roles.
4. It will look closely at the communications patterns in Essex County and each target community.
5. It will study how decisions are made (and who is involved in decision making).
6. The process will track how funds move from visitors to where they are used for marketing and destination development/improvement.
7. The process will look at how the public sector could support needed investment in product and infrastructure.

During the assessment phase, Egret will meet with key community and industry leaders to gain insights into all the issues listed above.  In those meetings, Egret will also explore community views on tourism’s positive and negative impacts on the economic and social well being of Essex County.  The conversations will explore whether there are pressure points where tourism does or could create unacceptable impacts for the people of Essex County or the target communities (note that the issues and anticipated impacts may vary completely by community).  Those conversations will also explore whether there are limits that should be considered for any particular tourism activity or type of development.  Those conversations will also explore how each community’s social and economic future would look without a successful tourism industry.

The assessment phase will culminate in a document that becomes the “common understanding” of the Essex County tourism situation (with specific discussions of each target community) and the basis for analysis and planning.  That document will be posted on a dedicated project website so every community member interest has equal access to the findings.