Economic Development Through Tourism
The Challenge
Columbia County was struggling to organize a countywide tourism effort to expand its local economy.
Our Solution
The Columbia County Economic Team approached our principal, Alison Hart, to bring together stakeholders representing both public and private interests as well as a diverse set of tourism businesses to form a work group. Over 18 months, she launched the Columbia County Tourism Initiative with a steering committee that worked collaboratively to set a vision and mission, create a strategic plan, and a Destination Development Plan reflecting countrywide goals and objectives.
Outcomes
The Columbia County Tourism Initiative yielded a countywide effort to grow economic development in Columbia County through tourism. The effort created consensus among diverse stakeholders and jurisdictions about tourism development priorities. The launch of the Initiative created relationships with regional partners in the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program and gave Columbia County a never-before-held seat at the table. The Destination Development Plan, authored by Alison Hart, provides guidance for tourism development in the County for years to come. In the first year of the Initiative, Columbia County received an $85,000 grant for tourism development.
Services
Public/Private Partnership Development, Strategic Planning, Vision/Mission Development, Change Management, Organizational Development, Facilitation and Training, and Comprehensive Destination Development Plan
Learn More
Review the Columbia County Destination Development Plan.