Tourism Remains a Mystery to Locals Says New Report
Photo Credit: A drum circle gathering at Malcom X Park in Washington, D.C. Flickr Commons / Elvert Barnes
Skift Take
The reckoning stage has passed. Destination marketers should actively and urgently tackle tourism engagement and education — because community-driven pushback is only going to increase. That could impact recovery and growth, with the future of the tourism workforce depending on it.
American and Canadian sentiment on tourism in their backyard may be at an all-time positive high, but less than half of U.S. and Canada residents feel they are consulted when it comes to how tourism is developed and managed. Nearly 50 percent also feel tourism taxes should go into local services rather than promotion, while the Gen-Z segment in both destinations show a low understanding and perception of tourism a future career path.
These are the alarming results from the latest survey on national resident sentiment towards tourism, conducted by market research firm Longwoods International, in association with Destinations International, spelling potential trouble ahead for the travel industry.
It all points to destination management organizations needing to urgently tackle the ongoing lack of education on tourism and broaden the engagement with their residents
